Q: If I have been in a car crash, should I still pay my medical bills?

A: Yes.  Normally, we suggest that all of your health care providers submit their charges to your health insurance carrier, if you have health insurance.  However, you will still owe co-pays, deductibles, and unpaid amounts to the medical care providers for the services they rendered, and those providers may refer you to a collection agency if you do not communicate with their offices or timely pay outstanding bills.  In the event your health insurance carrier denies a claim, you must also file a timely appeal, usually by following the instructions printed on your Explanation of Benefits (EOB) form you were sent detailing why the claim was denied.

Additionally, many people do not have health insurance or are simply so financially hurt after their injury that they do not have the means to pay anything—even small co-payments.  In those instances, your lawyer may try to negotiate with your health care provider an assignment of benefits.  Assignment of benefits means that the lawyer will pay the health care provider any amounts owed directly from your settlement proceeds or money you received in a judgment, and in exchange that health care provider agrees to wait to be paid and not send you to collections.  Whether or not a health care provider agrees to this arrangement is in the discretion of the health care provider.


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©2010 Barbara S. Williams, P.C., All Rights Reserved, Reproduced with Permission
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