Health insurance is a great benefit for individuals who are fortunate enough to have it offered by an employer, or who are able to afford the monthly premiums through a private carrier. For individuals without health insurance, things can get tricky when medical care is required. If you were injured in a car accident and don’t have health insurance, how are you going to pay your bills?
Another Driver’s Insurance Coverage
If you weren’t the at-fault party in the car accident, you aren’t generally required to pay for your own medical bills. Following your accident, contact the other driver’s auto insurance provider to inform them of your intent to file a claim. Your lawyer can help you work through the details if you need some assistance. If the other driver’s provider offers you a settlement right away, be sure you speak with your lawyer to determine if the amount is fair. If so, you can use it for your bills.
Your Auto Insurance Coverage
There’s a chance you have limited medical coverage through your auto insurance policy. This is often called personal injury protection, and it caps off at a certain amount. Once that limit is reached, you’ll be responsible for finding another way to pay those bills.
Medicaid
The government has a couple programs individuals can apply for to receive medical coverage. Programs such as Medicaid are offered to individuals who live at or below a certain income level. If you qualify, it’s possible you can have all your medical bills covered through this assistance program. Most of the time, Medicaid will not kick in until your personal injury protection has been exhausted, so be sure you speak with the social worker about your PIP coverage.
Assistance from Medical Providers
Each medical provider is going to have a different policy regarding car accident victims who don’t have health insurance. For example, the hospital you were examined at may allow you 12 months with no interest to pay your bill, while your physician may take off a certain percentage of the appointment cost if you pay in cash at the time of service. Speak with each provider to find out exactly what their protocol is.
Learning More and Finding Representation
It can be hard to find financial assistance when you don’t have personal medical insurance, but it is still possible. To learn more, contact a lawyer to get representation.
