Health Insurance in your Auto Accident Claim
There is a great deal of confusion out there as to the intersection of insurance coverages in NC auto accident claims. The basic question is this: If I have health insurance, what does it do and how is that affected by what the liability carrier is responsible for? OK. Maybe that’s two questions. Whatever. You get the problem.
Here’s the basic rule to follow: Use your health insurance. That’s what it’s there for! In NC, and virtually all “liability” states (states that don’t have n0-fault coverage) the victim’s health care is their own responsibility until the end, at which point you have to try and get reimbursed for all of your losses – medical expenses, lost wages, pain and suffering, etc. – all in one fell swoop. Auto liability insurance policies are not set up to pay your medical expenses as you incur them. They do not take the place of health insurance. You are paying for that health insurance, we assume, so you should get the benefit of it.
“What benefit is that?”, you might ask. The biggest benefit is the contractual adjustment. Your health insurance most likely doesn’t have to pay full cost for your bills. They get some discount based on their contract with the provider, and that limits your responsibility. This is part of what you’re paying for!
This becomes particularly important when rogue health care providers (*cough* Wake Med *cough) refuse or “forget” to bill your health insurance on the hopes that they’ll get paid their full bill by the liability carrier. This is exploitative and shameful, though currently not illegal, per se.
When it’s all said and done, after you’ve paid what you’ve had to or have been able to hold off the collectors, then you try and get it all back from the liability carrier. THIS is a big reason why having an attorney to help you makes a ton of sense. First, you might not know all of this unless you read dope legal blogs like this one. Second, even if you know it, you might fall prey to the facilities like Wake Med who try to rob you of your health insurance benefits. Third, you might not know how to best play the insurance game and get all of your bills covered. Finally, you’re hurt and likely not at your best at the moment, so why do you need more hassle?
If any of this is confusing, call me and I’ll try to help. 919-929-2992
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