WILL HEALTH INSURANCE PAY MEDICAL BILLS FOR CAR ACCIDENT INJURY?
People often ask our car accident attorneys whether health insurance pays for medical bills if the injury is caused by an auto accident. The answer is yes and no. Every auto insurance policy in Minnesota comes with No-Fault coverage. Your No-Fault insurance is required by law to pay your initial medical bills from a car accident. Your No-Fault will pay up to the first $20,000 in medical bills. This is before your health insurance or medical insurance pays anything.
However, this does not mean your medical insurance doesn’t have to pay for any medical treatment after a car accident. If your medical bills exceed $20,000, your health insurance has to pay the rest. This is true even if the car accident was the other driver’s fault. Later, your medical/health insurance may have the right to ‘subrogation.’ That means they get repaid out of any future car accident settlement you receive from the other driver’s auto insurance. But your health insurance must pay your medical bills until your final settlement.
AUTO INSURANCE PAYMENT DISPUTES
There are also many cases where the auto insurance refuses to pay for medical bills. Usually, they claim the treatment was not necessary or there was a pre-existing condition. Fortunately, in cases where your car insurance refuses to pay the medical bills, your medical insurance has to pay.
Occasionally, health insurance customer service will say they do not have to pay medical bills for a car accident. However, what they mean is that they usually don’t have to pay the first $20,000 in medical bills. Once you exceed that amount, or if the auto insurance refuses to pay for any reason, your health insurance must pay. (You may need to provide your medical insurance with a letter showing that the auto insurance refuses to pay, or that you have used up the $20,000.)
If you have been injured in a car accident and have questions about getting your medical bills paid, call us. You will speak directly with an experienced Minnesota injury lawyer. An attorney from our office will answer your car accident questions and explain your rights. Our lawyers will always provide you with a free consultation. In addition, we never charge anything unless you receive compensation for your car accident injuries.