Between liens, Medicaid, and payment plans with the hospital, you have options to make sure you receive the treatment you need.
If you have been injured in a car accident, you may wonder how to manage the resulting medical bills. Because Wisconsin is an at-fault state, the driver responsible for the accident is responsible for your related expenses including medical bills. However, this usually requires filing a personal injury claim which means payment for your medical bills will typically not occur until the lump-sum settlement or resolution of your case.
To ensure you get the treatment you need without delay, medical payments coverage under your own auto insurance policy may be sufficient to cover your initial medical bills. You can also have medical providers bill your health insurance to cover you now and your health insurance can recover costs from the settlement award later.
But, what if you are not covered by health insurance at the time of the accident? Do you have to pay for accident-related medical expenses out of pocket if you don’t have insurance?
Between letters of protection, liens, Medicaid, and payment plans with the hospital, you have options to make sure you receive the treatment you need while your case is ongoing, despite not having insurance to cover the expenses in the interim.
If you do not have insurance or sufficient funds to pay for medical treatment after an accident, a letter of protection can help stop collections efforts until your case is resolved.
A letter of protection is a guarantee from your lawyer to a doctor or medical provider whereby your lawyer agrees to ensure that the doctor will be paid for medical treatment provided to you from money recovered from the at fault party as the result of a personal injury claim.
Yes. If you are injured, Medicaid will cover any medically necessary treatment per your policy. Just like private health insurance, Medicaid will then recover any payments made for accident-related treatment from any settlement proceeds with the auto insurance for the at-fault party. For more information about what expenses are covered under Medicaid, visit forwardhealth.gov.
Used less frequently, hospital liens allow the hospital where you were treated for accident-related injuries to have priority in recovering payment from the settlement of your related personal injury case.
State law allows hospitals to file a lien when treating patients whose injuries may be the subject of a personal injury lawsuit. Wisconsin Statute §779.80(1) states that hospitals shall have a lien for services provided to a person with injuries caused by the negligence, wrongful act, or tort of any other person.
A personal injury attorney can communicate with the at-fault driver’s insurance company, healthcare providers, and other interested parties to obtain evidence and negotiate the best possible settlement. Moreover, a personal injury attorney provides peace of mind that your medical bills will not spiral out of control as you seek compensation for your injuries.
At Natasha Misra Law, we will look at your medical bills and assist you in managing your medical bills until the time that you receive compensation from the auto insurance company. We will work with your medical providers, and insurance carriers if applicable, and relieve you of any financial burden you may be experiencing as the result of an accident.
Our team will focus on your financial recovery and ensure that your medical providers are compensated, so you focus on your physical recovery.
