How to Know if Your Insurance Will Pay for a Post-Car Accident Chiropractor Visit
We find that fears about whether or not insurance will pay is the main reason people hold back from visiting the chiropractor after a car accident. In reality, these fears shouldn't hold you back from seeking treatment. Here are our suggestions on checking your insurance coverage for post-car accident chiropractor visits and some tips on how the process usually works.
First Things First...
One of the first things you should do when you get in an accident is to call local law enforcement. But after that is all squared away your next call needs to be to your car insurance company. When you talk with them, they may ask if you were injured physically in the accident. At this time, let them know that you would like to be evaluated by your chiropractor to make sure there isn't unseen physical damage. Ask about their coverage for this. They should be able to go over your benefits with you so you can make an informed decision. However, many individuals don't realize that even if your car insurance, or the other party's car insurance, doesn't cover chiropractic care, most medical insurance plans do. So even if you are unable to get coverage under car insurance, you still should seek help under your regular medical insurance.
For More, Read: 3 Ways to Move Beyond Your Car Accident Pain
If you choose to follow through seeking a chiropractic claim through a car insurance company, you should know the following:
1) Make sure you file a MEDICAL claim with the auto insurance, not just an accident claim.
This is a common point of confusion. Opening a car accident claim deals with damage to the cars; to deal with damage to people, you need to open a medical claim with the car insurance agency. When you call, ask your representative how much coverage you have in "Med Pay". Med pay is the amount of money your insurance will pay for your medical bills following an accident. This amount is usually paid with very little "hassle" on your part.
Once the funds in Med Pay are exhausted, the remaining bills will either go to your major medical insurance, or (possibly) be held for liable party payment. Most times, it is best to go in the direction of using your major medical insurance, as the fight to get another insurance company to pay can be lengthy.
2) Understand the company's payment structure.
Some insurance companies will pay as you receive treatment, and some will wait until the end of the treatment and you are "discharged" from the auto case. This means that you have either reached your pre-accident status, or gotten to the point of "maximum medical improvement" (i.e.--this is the best condition we can achieve for you based on the injuries you have received). We are often able to get people back to their pre-accident condition, but unfortunately, everyone responds to care differently based on their particular accident, as well as their own health pre and post-accident.
3) Using the medical benefit of car insurance can not raise your insurance.
Some people think that making a medical claim after an accident will automatically cause their premiums to go up. In South Dakota, an insurance company can not raise premiums for using or not using Med Pay. They can raise your premium as a result of your being in an accident, but they cannot raise it further simply because you are using your Med Pay benefit.
4) If you have questions, call your insurance company.
It is their job to help you understand your benefits, so make good use of their services. If you need additional help understanding how a post car accident chiropractor visit will be covered, you can contact Sioux Falls Chiropractic and speak to Mitch Brandner or Dani DeBerg. While their knowledge of your individual policy will be limited, they may be able to help you understand some of the common insurance language and practices.
If you have experienced a car accident, don't wait to seek medical care from a chiropractor. Those first few days after an accident are critical for helping you mitigate issues and eliminate pain. All five Sioux Falls Chiropractic doctors enjoy helping patients live pain free after accidents and are experienced in common car accident injuries and treatments.
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