Making Certain You Get the Treatment You Need
When you’ve been hurt on the job, you can typically file a workers’ compensation claim, which will provide payment of or reimbursement for all “reasonable and necessary” medical expenses related to your workplace injury. Who decides what is “reasonable” or “necessary,” though? What steps can you take to make certain you get effective care when you’re suffering from a workplace injury or illness?
Who Decides What Type of Care You Get?
Ultimately, the workers’ compensation insurance provider will decide if certain medical expenses are covered. That includes both procedures and medications. In most instances, though, the insurance company will either defer to the knowledge and expertise of your treating physician, or give significant weight to both the treatment and pharmaceutical products they recommend. For that reason, it’s essential that you seek treatment after any workplace injury or illness from a medical professional who has successfully navigated the workers’ compensation system in the past. The right physician, one who knows how to work effectively with workers’ compensation insurance adjustors, can actually be an advocate for you, streamlining the process so that you get the care that offers the best chance at full recovery.
Make Certain You Choose Your Primary Doctor
When you’ve become sick or been hurt because of conditions in the workplace and file a work comp claim, the workers’ compensation insurer and/or your employer will customarily require that you submit to a medical examination from a doctor of their choosing. You must do so. This does not mean, however, that you must go to their chosen physician for all your care. You have the right (within limits) to select your own doctor as your primary caregiver.
If you have a regular physician, ask them how much experience they have with workers’ compensation claims. If they’ve never handled one before, or if they know little about the work comp process, it will often be in your best interests to seek primary care from another doctor, one familiar with the requirements of a work comp claim.
Contact Us to Set Up an Appointment
At Advantage Healthcare Systems, we have extensive experience working successfully with individuals who have been hurt in the workplace. Call us toll-free at 1-877-487-8289 or fill out the form provided below to schedule an assessment. We offer locations across Texas, including Fort Worth, Dallas and San Antonio.