Did you get a letter from your health insurance company after being in a car wreck? Is it asking you to “tell us about your medical treatment for your injury” or “did you have medical treatment for an injury or illness that someone else may be responsible for payment?”
It is important to respond properly to this letter. Ignoring it may result in your health insurance company denying payment for medical treatment.
Why Is My Health Insurance Company Sending Me A Letter?:
If you receive medical treatment after a car accident, the medical providers, like an ER, usually input special codes while billing your health insurance. These codes are picked up when your health insurance processes the bill, alerting them of a potential accident. When your health insurance company sees that you may have been in an accident, they automatically send you a letter requesting more information.
Your health insurance company wants to know more information about your wreck for a few reasons. First, if you settle your car wreck claim, they may have a right to be reimbursed from the at-fault insurance company for any wreck-related medical payments made on your behalf.
Second, your health insurance company wants to know if you have any other insurance available to pay your wreck-related medical bills, before they pay. For instance, “medical payment” (“med-pay”) coverage under your own auto policy is meant to pay wreck-related medical bills.
Does This Mean My Health Insurance Company Will Stop Paying?
No. Just because you were in a wreck doesn’t mean that your health insurance company will stop paying your medical bills. They are still contractually obligated to do so. However, if you other sources available to pay medical bills (like the “med-pay” coverage discussed above), you will need to prove to your health insurance that those sources have been exhausted before they continue paying.
If you ignore your health insurance company’s inquiry letter, they MAY STOP paying your medical bills. This is because your contract with them requires you to cooperate in their investigation of any claim, including those stemming from car wrecks.
How Should I Respond To The Letter?
You should be truthful in your response to your health insurance company in letting them know about the wreck. If you do not have “med-pay” coverage or if your “med-pay” has been exhausted, it is important to let them know that, so they do not stop paying your medical bills.
Be careful describing your injuries, as the at-fault auto insurance company may see your response later and hold them against you, especially if your reported injuries do not match your current complaints.
Have You Been Injured In An Accident And Received A Letter From Your Health Insurance Company?
If you have been injured in an accident and received a letter from your health insurance compnay about a wreck and have questions, contact us online or call our Covington office directly at 985.590.6182 to schedule your free consultation today. Flattmann Law serves clients on the Northshore, including Covington, Mandeville, Abita Springs, Bogalusa, Franklinton, Folsom, Madisonville, Goodbee, Hammond, Lacombe, Pearl River, and Slidell.
