Some people assume that, just because they have health insurance, they won’t have to worry about their medical bills. The truth is that your insurance carrier, be it Medicaid or a private health insurance carrier, will expect to be reimbursed in full. To make sure this is handled properly, you should call one of our Carrollton injury lawyers.
If Your Insurance Claim Is Denied, Medicaid May Have to Pay for Your Medical Care
In most accident cases, the insurance company approves your claim and covers your medical bills. As long as the medical care provided is related to your car accident, there shouldn’t be a problem.
When you do have a problem is when the insurance carrier refuses to pay your claim. This could happen for any number of reasons, including:
- The insurance company believes you caused the crash.
- They don’t think your injuries are as bad as you say they are.
- You didn’t submit your claim in a timely manner.
- You have a history of filing auto accident claims.
- Your claim is large, and they think they can settle for less down the road.
Depending on the reason for the denial, your Carrollton accident attorney can file an appeal. Either way, if your personal health insurance has to pay your bills, they’ll expect to be paid back.
Whatever Medicaid Paid Must Be Paid Back in Full
When you go to the hospital after your accident, you’ll have to fill out a bunch of paperwork. One of these intake forms will ask you if your injuries are the result of a motor vehicle accident.
You have to answer this question honestly. Once your insurance carrier sees that your injuries were caused by a car crash, they’ll expect to be paid back in full.
Typically, what happens is your Carrollton injury lawyer takes your settlement proceeds and pays any outstanding medical liens. However, regardless of who thinks they’re entitled to reimbursement, they can only get a pro-rated amount given how much your settlement was for.
What if You Just Choose Not to Reimburse Medicaid the Money They Put Out?
There have been times over the years when our Carrollton injury lawyers give a client their settlement money and they don’t pay their medical bills. This is not a good idea. By law, you are required to pay these bills off. This is especially true if you are on Medicare or Medicaid.
The good news for the State (and maybe the bad news for plaintiffs) is that the state, and any insurance company for that matter, can file a lien. This will guarantee that they’ll get their money at one point or another.
Your Carrollton Injury Lawyer Understands That Medicaid Will Put a Lien on Your Lawsuit
Legally, as soon as your insurance provider learns that your medical treatment is related to an accident, they file a lien against your lawsuit. This way, when your case settles, they are paid before you get your share of the proceeds.
What our Carrollton accident attorneys do is withhold the money for the insurance company before we give our clients their proceeds. But there are times when the settlement agreement does not call for this. It all depends on the language in your settlement agreement.
Where Are You Supposed to Get the Money to Pay Them Back?
Some of our clients ask what they’re supposed to do if they don’t have enough to pay it in full. Your settlement proceeds may not be enough to pay the medical bills in full. If this happens, your Carrollton injury lawyer will try to negotiate a lesser amount.
The State understands that there are times when your settlement won’t cover the full debt. The agencies are often willing to accept a lump sum settlement for less than what you owe.
Your Carrollton Accident Attorney Must Pay it Out of Your Settlement Proceeds
As long as your settlement covers your medical bills, you shouldn’t have a problem. Your Carrollton accident attorney will submit payment to Medicare or Medicaid. They will still try to negotiate a reduced payment. However, once the insurance carrier learns that your settlement will pay the full balance, they may not be willing to settle.
We just made sure that our clients understand how this works. The last thing we want is for our clients to get in trouble by not submitting payment. This is why we try to take care of this for you.
The Insurance Company Does Not Have to Take a Reduced Settlement
As hard as your Carrollton accident attorney will try to negotiate a settlement, there is no guarantee the insurance company will take it. By law, they’re entitled to payment in full. They do not have to accept your offer.
In our experience, the insurance company knows how much you receive in your settlement. They know ahead of time whether you can afford to pay the entire bill. Since they have a lien against your lawsuit, they are notified when your case settles and how much it is settled for.
Reach Out to an Experienced Carrollton Accident Attorney Right Away
If you’re seriously injured in a car accident, you will need extensive medical care. If you didn’t cause the crash, you shouldn’t have to pay for your treatment out of pocket. Unfortunately, if the insurance carrier refuses to pay, you’ll have no choice. You’ll need to talk to an experienced Carrollton injury lawyer.
In situations like this, what usually happens is your primary health insurance will cover the costs of your medical care. However, they will expect to be reimbursed once you win or settle your case.
Rather than try to figure all this out on your own, contact one of our Carrollton accident attorneys. We offer all new clients a free, initial consultation for this reason. Sit down with one of our Carrollton injury lawyers and they’ll answer any questions you may have.
