QUESTION
Treatment costs exceed insurance coverage. Did doctor know?
Asked on Aug 10th, 2013 on Automobile Accidents - Nevada
More details to this question:
After a car accident in June my husband and I are in physical therapy. He didn't have health insurance at time of accident, only 2000$ medical coverage as part of our car insurance, and the at-fault driver wasn't insured. Now we got a statement from our car insurance saying that my husband already reached the coverage limit in mid-July. The chiropractor never informed us that we reached the limit and continued treating my husband. Can he do this? Wouldn't he have to notify us and figure out if we want to continue the therapy? I talked to our car insurance and they say that doctors wouldn't know the coverage amount. Is this true? And even if it is, I remember for a fact talking to our chiropractor about the 2000$ limit. What are our options?
1 ANSWER
R. Christopher Reade
In most instances, medical providers and chiropractors have you sign a contract for services in which you agree to be financially responsible for any services provided, regardless of insurance coverage. In many cases, medical providers will give you the courtesy or keeping you updated on discussions with your insurance but are under no contractual obligation to do so. You can discontinue treatment and work with the chiropractor on resolving the outstanding bills. If you believe that you will be pursuing the tortfeasor, you can also ask the chiropractor to treat you on a medical lien.
Answered on Aug 12th, 2013 at 2:50 PM