Were you recently injured on your motorcycle in a collision caused by someone else? You might be wondering how you will pay for your medical care. After all, until your claim is settled, your motorcycle insurance company and the other driver’s insurance company will likely not agree on who must assume responsibility for paying your medical costs. But as you rest and recover from your injuries, your medical expenses may soar, leaving you in a stressful financial situation. So you might wonder, does health insurance cover motorcycle accident injuries?
Does Health Insurance Cover Motorcycle Accident Injuries?
Does health insurance cover motorcycle accident injuries? Yes, most policies do offer some coverage for injuries incurred while riding a motorcycle. However, health insurance plans vary broadly. The amount that your company might pay will depend on your policy, copays, and deductibles. You may be required to pay a substantial amount out of pocket before your coverage will kick in.
It is unlikely that your medical insurance will cover all of the medical care costs following your collision, and it certainly won’t pay for your other losses, such as property damage, lost wages/earnings, and pain and suffering.
How will using medical health coverage affect your claim overall? Your attorney can help you understand your options for recovering damages and how using health coverage may affect your case.
Medicaid or Medicare Coverage for Motorcycle Injuries
If you have Medicaid or Medicare, the coverage may pay for medical expenses caused by a motorcycle collision. However, your medical providers can choose to seek payment from your future liability settlement instead of billing Medicare or Medicaid. When you go to the hospital after your motorcycle accident, make sure to provide your Medicaid or Medicare information. If Medicaid or Medicare pays your medical expenses, they can seek to recover what they have paid through a lien against your liability settlement. Your attorney can explain the intricacies of how a Medicaid or Medicare lien may affect your case and the proper way to handle the lien.
What If You Don’t Have Health Insurance?
Many people in the United States do not have health insurance. People in this position may not have a way of paying their medical expenses after being injured in a collision. This is very common. Your attorney may be able to assist you in obtaining medical care from a qualified physician who specializes in traumatic injuries.
Understanding Medical Liens
In situations in which a motorcyclist is injured by a collision caused by someone else, some doctors might be willing to provide medical care under a medical lien agreement. In these types of agreements, medical providers agree to wait for payment until the claims are settled. They then seek to recover the costs of the care they provided from the total recovery amount through medical liens.
Any medical liens must be paid out of your settlement amount or verdict award before you receive the remainder. However, under Mo.Rev.Stat. §430.225.3, when medical costs exceed 50 percent of the total amount of the net proceeds after the attorneys’ fees have been deducted, the providers will be limited to no more than 50 percent and will have to divide that amount on a pro-rata basis amongst themselves.
Get Help from an Experienced Attorney
Suffering serious injuries in a motorcycle accident can be devastating. While health insurance might cover a portion of your costs, you may be left facing many other economic and noneconomic losses. The attorneys at the Law Offices of Bryan Musgrave can review your case and help you understand your options. Contact us today to schedule a consultation by calling us at 417-322-2222 or sending us a message.