Work Comp Medical Care

You might prefer medical care from your family doctor after a work comp injury. However, that generally complicates a worker’s compensation claim. If you were hurt on the job and file reimbursements with an insurance company, they require treatment with authorized medical providers.

Authorized medical providers

The insurance company refers patients to authorized medical providers to treat work comp injuries. If you seek treatment outside of those authorized medical providers, you must pay the bill personally. There is no specific statute prohibiting you from seeking care with your primary care doctor after an injury on the job. It will however create complications in a worker’s compensation claim.

If you refuse to go to the authorized doctor because you want to go to your family doctor, you can be labeled ‘non-compliant’ by the insurance company. At that point, the insurance company can stop treating you, stop paying lost wages, and file a motion to have your case dismissed. You can see the authorized providers and also go to your own doctor. But, those bills from your own doctor are not going to be paid by work comp insurance. This also raises red flags and creates opportunities for the insurance company to take your case before a judge and argue against your claim.

Another noteworthy point: Kansas statute contains a $500 unauthorized medical reimbursement provision. Designed to afford you a second opinion, it is a fairly small amount and should be considered carefully. If you’re thinking about going outside the network of authorized providers and seeking a 2nd opinion, consult an attorney. Generally, seeing a medical expert in worker’s compensation cases provides the best use of unauthorized medical reimbursements.

Legal and medical experts

There are many legal requirements to keep in mind while seeking medical care after a work comp injury. Simply seeing your own doctor creates complications. Also keep in mind, the Accident Recovery Team is located in Kansas. So, the legal explanations in this post are specific to our area and may be different where you live. The Accident Recovery Team of attorneys, research staff, medical experts, and a second-to-none support team work tirelessly on behalf of injured clients. Please contact our worker’s compensation department after an injury at work. Discuss authorized medical providers in greater detail during a free consultation.