Medicare is a life-saving program that helps millions of Americans receive health care coverage for an affordable price. Those 65 and older or with disabilities often need medicare to be able to afford quality health insurance when working with a limited income. Medicare is there to help you with all of your health care needs, but what if your injury or illness happens on the job?
If you are hurt on the job, it is your company’s responsibility to pay for your medical bills. They may also be responsible for some of your lost wages, providing a portion of your weekly income to help you while you’re out of work. If your injury or illness is work-related, it is always better to file for worker’s compensation than simply go through Medicare. You will likely be entitled to more money and will not have to pay copays if you receive worker’s compensation.
However, not all workers compensation claims are approved right away. While you are sorting out your case, you will still need health care services. Medicare may step up and pay for these expenses if payment is not made by your worker’s compensation provider within 120 days. They consider these conditional payments, and will look to your worker’s compensation provider for repayment after the fact.
You should not hesitate to visit a doctor while you’re waiting for your worker’s compensation claim to be approved. As your health insurance provider, Medicare will look after you to ensure your medical bills are paid on time. They may also be responsible for partial payment of your medical bills in certain circumstances.
If you have a pre-existing condition that was exacerbated by your work activity, Medicare may be responsible for some of the medical bills. They may have to pay for ongoing treatment, or for any treatments directly related to your pre-existing condition. Worker’s compensation will certainly contribute to any illness or injury directly related to your work, but you may want to check with your attorney to be sure you’re receiving maximum benefits and payments from both sides.
If your injury or illness requires long-term treatment, you may have the option to settle your worker’s compensation claim for a larger benefit. If this is the case, you will need to talk to your attorney about a Workers Compensation Medicare Set-Aside Agreement. This agreement sets aside a certain amount of your settlement funds in a special account specifically for medical treatment. This protects you if you need to pay medical bills in the future that Medicare doesn’t cover. This account also helps you to ensure any bill paid by Medicare that should have been covered by worker’s compensation is paid in full. You will need to talk to an attorney to set up your Workers Compensation Medicare Set-Aside Agreement.
To learn more about your workers compensation options, call the offices of Injury Florida Law and set up a consultation. Katherine Stone and her staff are here to help you receive the benefits you need and deserve after a work-related accident.