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After being involved in a car accident in Indiana, you may be wondering if Medicaid will cover your medical bills after the incident. Are you eligible for compensation? What coverage is available and how much are you entitled to receive?
Here, we’ll explore Medicaid’s role in covering medical costs resulting from car accidents. You’ll find insights on what to do if you have Medicaid and got hurt in a car accident, as well as the necessary information to decide whether you should file a personal injury claim if you receive Medicaid.
Will Medicaid Cover Bills After An Accident?
Medicaid is a state and federally-funded health insurance program. Overall, it can provide much-needed financial relief for eligible individuals to cover medical bills after a car accident in Indiana, but the extent of coverage and the process of claiming these benefits isn’t straightforward.
In Indiana, Medicaid will cover medical expenses related to a car accident if the accident was caused by another driver and that driver is found to be at fault. Thus, you aren’t likely to receive compensation to cover these costs if the accident was primarily your fault.
How to Proceed if You Got Hurt and Have Medicaid
If you’re injured in a car accident and are a Medicaid recipient, the steps you take immediately afterward will significantly impact your coverage and overall legal outcomes. As personal injury lawyers, we recommend the following:
- Promptly seek medical attention after the accident, even if your injuries seem minor.
- Notify your Medicaid provider of the incident.
- Keep detailed records of your medical bills and any other costs related to the accident. This information will be important if you later decide to file a personal injury claim or seek compensation from the at-fault driver’s insurance company.
- Contact an experienced car accident lawyer who can stand firm in negotiations with insurance companies to counteract any lowball offers or unfair claim denials.
Even when this seems to be a straightforward process, having an experienced lawyer on your side can be instrumental in helping you get fair compensation, and they can also outline your legal rights and options moving forward. You can see a full overview of the Medicare recovery process on the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) website to get an overall idea of what to expect.
Should You File a Personal Injury Claim if You Receive Medicaid?
Deciding whether to file a personal injury claim when you are a Medicaid recipient involves careful consideration of several factors.
Firstly, it’s important to understand that Medicaid operates as a secondary payer. This means that if you receive a settlement, judgment, or award from a personal injury claim, Medicaid can be reimbursed for the medical expenses it has paid related to your injury, which is known as Medicaid’s subrogation. Still, it’s worth mentioning that the specifics of this process will vary based on state laws and the details of your case.
Filing a personal injury claim can ensure you’re fairly compensated for your injuries, especially in cases where Medicaid doesn’t cover all your medical expenses or other damages (like lost wages, pain and suffering, and additional long-term care needs). A personal injury claim can help you recover these additional costs if you are entitled. However, it’s also important to consider how a potential settlement will impact your future Medicaid eligibility. In some cases, receiving a large settlement could temporarily disqualify you from Medicaid benefits due to increased assets or income. In this case, keeping eligibility needs careful planning, often involving setting up a special needs trust or similar legal arrangements to manage the settlement in a way that preserves your Medicaid eligibility.
How Much of My Settlement Will Be Taken by Medicaid?
As we’ve mentioned earlier, in cases where you’re awarded a settlement in a personal injury claim, Medicaid may be entitled to a portion of the settlement to cover the medical expenses it paid. The exact amount of your settlement that will be taken by Medicaid depends on several factors, including:
- The amount of your medical bills
- The amount of your settlement
- The specific rules and regulations in your state: in Indiana, Medicaid recovers the full amount of its payments for medical expenses related to the accident, up to the amount of your settlement.
Therefore, in Indiana, if you receive a settlement, judgment, or award from a third party, Medicaid will look for reimbursement for the medical expenses it covered after the accident. If you file a personal injury claim against a third party, you need to report the case in the Medicare Secondary Payer Recovery Portal (MSPRP) or by contacting the Benefits Coordination & Recovery Center (BCRC).
When reporting your case, you’ll need to provide specific information such as your full name, Medicaid number, details of the injury or accident, and any relevant case information. Your attorney can assist you to ensure all necessary information is reported accurately and promptly. Overall, a local lawyer can help you navigate the whole legal process with ease, advise you on the best course of action, and work to protect both your health coverage and your right to fair compensation.
Seek Legal Help to Know More About Your Legal Options in Indiana
At Christie Farrell Lee & Bell, we have over 30 years of experience in personal injury law and have recovered millions in settlements for residents all over Indiana (as shown in our case results). We can help you understand how a potential settlement affects your Medicaid benefits and what portion of the settlement Medicaid will claim. If you’ve been involved in a car accident in Indiana and are a Medicaid recipient, don’t wait to seek legal help. Please contact us today to get a free consultation and discuss your case with one of our attorneys.