Yes, absolutely! If you’re enrolled in Medicare and/or Medicaid, they will pay for your accident medical expenses in Nebraska after suffering a personal injury due to another person's negligence.
Whether you were hurt in a car accident, boating accident, or crossing the street – Medicare and Medicaid will pay for your medical care.
"That's Not What I Heard. How Come I Was Told Otherwise?"
First, Medicare and Medicaid require a notice from your auto insurance company that your “med pay” has been exhausted. So, there might be a misunderstanding. It’s not that Medicare or Medicaid will never pay these bills, it’s that you must use your “med pay” first.
Most every auto policy offers medical coverage for you when you’re injured. That part of your policy is called “med pay,” and it’s the primary, or first, coverage you must use up before Medicare or Medicaid will begin paying your medical bills.
You will note that I didn’t say that you should first send your medical bills to the negligent driver’s auto insurance company. Please, don’t do that! Doing so, with the expectation that they will pay those bills, before your case settles is a complete waste of time. Worse yet, you risk ruining your credit because your medical providers will eventually turn your account over to a collection company for non-payment.
The negligent driver’s insurance company will eventually pay your medical bills, as well as your other damages, but only after your case has settled or resolved. That means you are only going to get one check from them. And it may be months, or years, before that happens.
Using Med Pay to Cover Your Medical Expenses ... At First!
Until you settle you case, you need to first use up your auto insurance “med pay,” and then use your own health insurance – which could be Medicare or Medicaid.
Secondly, medical providers make more money when traditional health insurance, and you, pay their bills. Medicare and Medicaid only pay about 25%, or less, of your total medical bills.
That is not to say you are being lied to by your medical providers. Surprisingly, many medical billing departments, particularly large hospitals, fail to understand how this system works.
Reverse the Billing With the Help of an Experienced Lincoln Accident Attorney
If you are faced with large medical bills that have not been turned over to Medicare or Medicaid, there is a way to reverse the billing and have those bills paid correctly. However, it is complicated, time consuming and should be done within a year of your accident.
By paying your medical bills with your Medicare or Medicaid insurance, you will increase the amount of settlement dollars that will go into your pocket. Because your health insurance carrier that paid your bills must, typically, be paid back, you will end up with more money if you only have to pay back Medicare and/or Medicaid about 25% of your medical expense. Versus 100% of your medical expense if you alone are forced to pay!
Contact Our Proven Personal Injury Attorney in Lincoln for More Information
This information can be difficult for many to grasp. It’s complex and often at odds with what you’re being told by “billing departments,” and it disrupts the common notion that the other guy’s insurance needs to pay for everything – RIGHT NOW!
Don’t let misinformation cheat you out of settlement dollars. Call our experienced personal injury attorney in Lincoln, NE, for a free analysis of your situation today at (308) 872-8327. We are ready and willing to help you get the compensation you deserve!