As personal injury lawyers handling cases in the Kansas City area, we’re often asked how someone can get medical care if they’re hurt in a car crash or other personal injury incident, and who will pay for it. Despite the Affordable Care Act, oftentimes people can’t afford health insurance and don’t have any means to pay a doctor when they’re hurt because of someone else’s negligence.
Here are some options for medical care after a crash when you don’t have insurance.
Use medpay coverage.
Some places or vehicles have a type of insurance called medpay. This covers a specific location like your car or a business and provides money for medical care and other out-of-pocket expenses. It covers injuries that happen in the business or car, regardless of fault. In other words, you don’t have to prove someone did something wrong to get coverage. The flipside of not having to show liability is that the amount of money available with medpay is usually pretty low. If you’re hurt badly, it may not be enough for all of you medical care. But it helps.
Get treated on a lien.
Some health care providers will care for you even if you don’t have insurance. They do this by filing a lien on the proceeds of your personal injury case. This means you don’t have to pay them upfront. Instead, they’ll get paid out of any money you get in your personal injury case. Not every doctor or hospital is willing to do this because it does involve risk on their part. Getting money from a personal injury case is not guaranteed and a health care provider might not be willing to gamble on your case.
Go to a free clinic.
Another option if you get hurt in a car accident or other personal injury incident is to go to a free health clinic. It might not be ideal, but the doctors at these clinics are passionate and dedicated. You may need to show you are qualified to go there by proving you don’t have the ability to pay. Also, these clinics are typically general health practices and don’t usually have orthopedists and other specialists often needed to treat injuries from a crash or fall. Nevertheless, free clinics are a good option if you don’t have health insurance.
If you’ve been hurt in a car crash in Missouri or Kansas and need some options for medical treatment, give us a call at 816.867.8611 and we’ll point you in the right direction. We’ve been practicing personal injury law in KC for years and have developed a network of doctors who help us with our cases.