Who covers your medical bills can be a confusing and anxiety-inducing question if you’ve been injured in a crash. Most often, people rely on their own health insurance provider for payment in the short run. In certain circumstances, however, either the injured cyclist’s auto or bicycle insurance policy or the other driver’s insurance policy may have medical payment, or “MedPay,” coverage available to help with the bills.
MedPay coverage typically pays the cost of necessary medical care that you receive as a result of a bicycle accident, and can be used regardless of who is at fault. Often, MedPay is limited to medical treatment received within the first three years following an accident, and is subject to a dollar cap. In some jurisdictions, MedPay applies only after other medical benefits have been exhausted. Unfortunately, unless your injuries are minor, MedPay coverage, if available, is often not sufficient to cover all of the costs of your medical treatment.
In the longer term, if you file a claim and your negligence claim against the party at fault is successful, the costs of your medical treatment, including necessary future medical care, may be recoverable. This process takes time, however. Submitting all treatment bills through your health insurance, in the short term, is essential to ensure that you receive the treatment that you need in a timely fashion and without legal complications.
In the event that you don’t have health insurance, you could be subject to aggressive debt collection from your medical providers. An experienced attorney handling your case may be able to negotiate with your medical providers, and temporarily halt collection activity against you until your case can be resolved and monies recovered to pay those bills.
If you have questions or concerns regarding your medical expenditures as a result of an accident, please feel free to contact me for an obligation-free consultation. Ride safely, and make sure that you understand your health insurance policy to ensure that you are prepared in the event of an unfortunate accident.