Health Insurance

If you are fortunate enough to have health insurance at the time you were injured in an accident, you should let your health insurance pay on their accident related expenses. Often we will hear, “Why should my insurance have to pay when the accident wasn’t my fault?” The answer is simple: Because the law allows you to do so and it will reduce the amount you are responsible to pay medical providers out of pocket before the case is settled. Once treatment is rendered, providers are not at all interested in waiting until your settlement for payment. You received the treatment so you are responsible for the bill and if payment is not received timely, they will turn your account to collection agencies.
If you’ve read our sections on liability and medpay, you know that you can recover from both of these insurance sources for injuries sustained as a result of someone else’s negligence. But you can also collect from your own health insurance company in addition to the liability and mepday benefits. Many hospitals will tell you that you cannot use your health insurance accident related care, this is not true. They just prefer to charge you at a full price rate versus the reduced rate they have agreed upon with your health insurance company. It is best to just present your health insurance card to the administrator processing your intake and not get into any lengthy conversation about which coverage you should use. If you have insurance, use it. Again, this person works for the hospital and is looking out for their bottom line. We work for you and have your interest at heart, they don’t!