When you suffer an on-the-job injury, you shouldn’t have to pay for your medical bills out of your own pocket. Most Georgia employers are required to carry workers’ compensation insurance that covers costs associated with their employees’ work-related injuries.
At the Law Offices of William F. Underwood, III, P.C., our Georgia workers’ comp attorneys can help you navigate the complex and often intimidating claims process so that you get the money to which you’re entitled. Contact us today for a free initial consultation to learn more about how medical bills are paid after a Georgia work injury.
Are All Work-Related Injuries Covered by Workers’ Comp?
Many workers wonder, “What does workers’ compensation cover?” Generally speaking, all work-related injuries are injuries covered by workers’ comp in Georgia. As long as you can demonstrate that you are an eligible employee who sustained injuries during the course of work-related activities, your resulting medical bills should be covered by your employer’s workers’ compensation insurance.
Keep in mind that not all work-related injuries occur in the workplace. For example, if you were hurt in a car accident while driving for a work-related errand, your injuries are considered work-related.
On the other hand, just because an injury occurs at the workplace does not necessarily mean it is work-related. If you were injured on your employer’s premises while you were taking an unpaid break, your injuries would likely not be considered work-related. Similarly, if you stopped off to grab yourself a coffee in the middle of a work-related errand, you might not be entitled to workers’ compensation if another motorist rear-ended you in the drive-thru.
If you were injured while you were at work and on the clock, your employer could claim you shouldn’t be entitled to benefits if you were breaking their code of conduct in some way. This could include working while intoxicated or engaging in horseplay or other prohibited or dangerous activities.
Does Workers’ Comp Cover All Medical Bills?
Another common question that injured workers have is, “Does workers’ comp cover medical bills?” It does. However, whether your medical bills will be paid following a work injury depends on if you follow the workers’ compensation system requirements correctly.
Georgia law requires all employers with three or more regular employees to purchase workers’ compensation insurance that covers costs associated with occupational injuries and illnesses. However, this does not mean all medical bills are automatically covered after a work injury.
Your medical bills will only be covered after an occupational injury if:
- They are incurred for the treatment of an eligible work-related injury.
- The treatment was medically necessary to help you cope with pain, improve your condition, cure your condition, or enable you to return to work.
- An authorized physician provided the treatment.
- The amount due does not exceed the limits of statewide workers’ compensation fee schedules, though employees are not responsible for fees that exceed scheduled maximums.
Employers are required to provide workers with information about physicians or organizations that are authorized to provide treatment under their workers’ comp policies. Your employer may do this either by posting information about a panel of at least six pre-approved medical professionals or information about a Workers’ Compensation Managed Care Organization (WC-MCO). A WC-MCO can help you locate an authorized provider and schedule an appointment.
If you seek care that is not medically necessary or visit an unauthorized physician, you may be forced to pay for these services out-of-pocket. A knowledgeable Georgia workers’ comp attorney can help you understand the limitations of your benefits and locate the providers who can give you the treatment you need.
How Do I Pay My Medical Bills After a Work Injury?
Workers’ compensation benefits are designed to get you back on your feet and back to work as soon as possible, with a minimum of hassle and stress. Accordingly, you can usually expect to have your insurance adjuster handle the payments for your medical bills after a work injury.
Under § 34-9-205(b) of the Georgia Code, physicians, hospitals, and other medical suppliers should never bill an employee who specifies they are seeking treatment for a workers’ comp injury. To make sure your medical bills go to the insurance adjuster as intended, give your physician’s office the name and address of your employer’s insurance company along with your workers’ comp case number.
If the doctor’s office attempts to bill you even after you notify them of your workers’ comp claim, contact a trusted attorney right away. Your employer and their insurer are responsible for paying your work-related medical bills, not you or your private health insurance provider, even if you receive coverage through your employer.
If you paid your medical bills out-of-pocket before you were aware of this, you are entitled to be reimbursed. This includes being compensated for things like the cost of travel to and from authorized medical appointments.
Which Medical Treatments Are Covered Under Workers’ Comp in Georgia?
So, what is covered by workers’ compensation?
While not all medical treatments are covered under Georgia workers’ comp laws, the following generally are:
- Emergency medical care – In a genuine emergency, you aren’t expected to stop everything and take the time to find an authorized provider. You are entitled to seek temporary emergency care from the nearest provider as long as you continue your care with an authorized physician after the emergency is over.
- Necessary treatment and rehabilitation – Any reasonable and necessary treatment or rehabilitation service you receive from authorized providers will be covered. This includes hospital bills, doctor bills, prescription costs, and physical therapy and rehabilitation expenses.
- Travel expenses – Necessary travel costs you incur from attending medical appointments are eligible for reimbursement under workers’ comp.
Contact Our Workers’ Compensation Lawyer After a Workplace Accident
The Georgia workers’ comp lawyers at the Law Offices of William F. Underwood, III, P.C. understand the challenges you may be facing after a workplace injury. Contact us to discuss the details of your claim in a free case review with our skilled legal team. We can answer any questions you have during your consultation, such as, “What is covered by workers’ comp?” and “What does workers’ comp pay?”
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