workers comp doctors

What to expect from a workers’ comp independent medical exam. Learn how to prepare. What not to say in an IME. What’s an Independent Medical Examination? What To Do Before, During and After an IME IME Doctors Won’t Look Out For Your Interests Be Careful of the Nurse Case Manager How to Protect Your Workers’ Comp Claim Navigating the workers’ compensation system can add even more discomfort to a painful work injury. While each state has its own rules and regulations regarding workers’ comp claims, every state mandates that injured workers must be evaluated and diagnosed by a medical professional approved by the employer’s insurance company. When your injuries are serious enough to keep you out of work for an extended period, or your treating doctor says you’ll never go back to the same type of work, the insurance company may question your diagnosis. For many injured workers, that means facing an Independent Medical Examination, or IME, ordered by the workers’ compensation insurance comp...

It is important to understand how to choose a workers comp physician. Under Louisiana workers compensation law, an injured employee is entitled to choose one treating physician in each field or specialty. But, the employee is required to submit to an examination by a physician provided by and paid for by the employer. So basically, the accepted rule is that both the employee and the insurance company have their choice of physicians, with the employee’s choice being the “treating physician” and the insurance company’s choice serving as a “second opinion” physician. The injured employee must submit to an examination by the company doctor (the “second opinion” physician) as often as may be reasonably necessary, though these visits will be paid for by the workers compensation insurance company. And if the injured employee refuses to submit to an examination by the company doctor, the workers compensation insurance company may temporarily suspend the employee’s lost wage payments. Physician...

1. DOES YOUR PLAN COVER YOU ON AND OFF THE JOB? Many health insurance plans have specific exclusions that eliminate your benefits for anything that could have been covered under Workers Compensation or similar laws. Now read that last sentence again. COULD HAVE BEEN COVERED!? That is correct. Most self employed people. Even some small business owners do not carry Workers Comp on themselves. Most self employed people and even some small business owners do not carry Workers Comp on themselves. There are designed insurance plans that will cover you on and off the job - 24-hours a day, if you are not required by law to have Workers Compensation coverage. 2. ARE YOU WRITING IT OFF? Independent contractors (1099’s), home based business owners, professionals and other self employed people generally are not taking advantages of the tax laws available to them. Many people who are paying 100% of their own costs are eligible to deduct their monthly insurance payments. Just that alone can reduce y...

DOCTORS HOSPITAL OF AUGUSTA, L.L.C., Plaintiff, v. COMPTRUST AGC WORKERS' COMPENSATION TRUST FUND, Defendant. No. 26216. Decided: October 23, 2006 This is a certified question dealing with the workers' compensation commission's (the Commission's) jurisdiction to review a fee dispute between an insurance carrier and an out of state medical provider. Factual/Procedural Background Audrey Cooper (Employee), a South Carolina resident, suffered severe injuries when he encountered a high voltage electrical line in an on-the-job injury that occurred in South Carolina. For approximately two months, Doctors Hospital of Augusta (Doctors Hospital), a privately owned limited liability company providing medical care and related services in Augusta, Georgia, treated Employee for his extensive injuries. Employee was injured while working for a South Carolina company that procured workers' compensation insurance from CompTrust, a South Carolina self-insured workers' trust fund. ...

Under Florida’s workers’ compensation laws, your employer’s insurance company must pay for all of your reasonable and necessary medical treatments if you suffer a workplace injury. However, you must see a doctor chosen by the carrier. If you're unhappy with your quality of care, you have a right to switch physicians-but can only do this one time while receiving benefits. Reasons You May Need to Switch Doctors Many doctors selected by the insurance company to treat injured workers provide quality care. Others may be more concerned about saving the insurance company money so they continue to receive referrals. Here are reasons why you may decide to change doctors: Lack of diagnostic tests. MRIs, x-rays, and other tests are expensive, and your doctor may avoid running them to save money. However, these medical tests may be critical to identify your exact condition and accurately monitor your healing process. Overuse of pain medication. Pain medication is far less expensive than treatm...