I have no Health Insurance and I Need to See a Doctor, What do I do?
If you are injured in an accident and have no health insurance, you may be worried about how to pay for medical care. But you don’t necessarily need health insurance to get medical treatment for your injuries.
First, always go to an emergency room on the day you are injured. By federal law, hospital emergency rooms must treat all persons who need emergency care, even if they have no insurance.
Second, for continued medical treatment, there are three possibilities:
1. Government-paid healthcare if you can obtain Medicare or Medicaid. Medicare pays for care for most person over age 65 or those who are permanently, severely disabled. Medicaid pays for care for persons with very low income. Once you obtain either Medicare or Medicaid, they will pay even if the accident was your fault.
2. “Medical payment coverage” may be available to pay for treatment costs for injuries you suffered in a vehicle accident, an accident on property such as a home or commercial property, or even an accident on a boat. Medical payments coverage may pay from $1,000 to $5,000 or even $10,000 of your medical bills. Again, it does not matter if the accident was your fault.
3. A “medical lien” is a way for hospitals and doctors to treat you now and get paid later from your legal case award or settlement. If someone else caused the accident, your injury attorney can contact medical providers for you and ask them to treat you in return for a lien on the case your attorney files for you.
Getting medical care after you are injured is an accident is important for two reasons: first, so you can get on with your life, and second, because you won’t obtain the best settlement or award if you did not do all you could to help yourself recover. If you have been injured in an accident and have any questions about how to get medical treatment, please call Stokes & Kopitsky at 404-892-0011.
We are experienced Atlanta injury attorneys and are here to help you. Our telephones are answered 24/7 and there is no charge for you to consult us. We advance all costs, and there are no fees unless and until we obtain a settlement or court award for you. Please call us at 404-892-0011 for the experienced, highly qualified legal help you need for a serious injury case.
