Medical bills incurred as a result of treating an injury can pile up quickly. Depending on your injuries, you may require a trip to the emergency room or your doctor’s office, extensive diagnostic testing including an MRI, CT scan or X-rays, and possibly surgery and physical therapy. And while you may have filed a claim with the at-fault party’s insurance carrier, you may soon discover that these medical expenses accumulate faster than your claim is processed.
As a general rule, you are ultimately responsible for paying your medical bills when they come due. Any extra fees or interest charged for non-payment will likewise be your responsibility. That
being said, there are many situations in which you may be able to recover at least some of the costs of your medical care from an insurance provider.
Medpay in Tennessee
Medical payments coverage, commonly referred to as “Medpay,” is a provision in most automobile and homeowners insurance policies that allows an injured party to recover the cost of medical bills caused by an accident. Medpay usually covers injuries sustained not only by the policyholder and their family, but also third parties who are injured either in the policy holder’s home or vehicle. For example, if a social guest falls down the stairs in the policy holder’s home, then the social guest can collect Medpay to help pay for their medical bills.
While Medpay helps to cover the costs of medical treatment, it is often limited to treatments that the insurance provider deems to be reasonable and is often capped at a certain amount, depending on the specific policy. It is also important to note that Tennessee does not require vehicle and homeowners to purchase Medpay coverage so it may not be available in every case.
Medicare/Medicaid/Your Health Insurance
Your medical bills may also be covered by medicare, medicaid, or your own private health insurance, if you have it. You will be responsible for covering any co-pays, deductibles, and uncovered costs under your personal insurance plan. Also, in the event that you collect a settlement from an at-fault party or the other party’s insurer, your insurance company will most likely require reimbursement for any treatment costs that it paid for on your behalf.
In any personal injury case, you should always contact a knowledgeable injury lawyer.