After a personal injury accident in California, if any portion of your medical treatment is paid through Medicare or Medi-Cal, life can become complex very quickly without a qualified lawyer by your side. While settlement discussions with the at-fault party’s insurer are in-process, Medicare and Medi-Cal may pay required portions of your medical bills. However, they also have a right to be reimbursed for their payments after you receive your compensation award. After all, if someone else was at fault for your injuries, Medicare and Medi-Cal will not want to pay the bill without being reimbursed.
If either of these government agencies is not reimbursed, they have a right to file a lien against you and pursue a lawsuit to collect compensation. They also may deny you further benefits. However, many times the notice of lien will be sent before your personal injury lawsuit has been settled and before you have any money with which to reimburse them. If this is your current situation — do not panic. When you work with the Law Office of Daniel J. O’Neill, we help ensure that Medicare and Medi-Cal do not take legal action while your personal injury claim is still active. We can also help negotiate a lowered reimbursement amount payable to Medicare or Medi-Cal after your case is closed.
Medicare, Medi-Cal And Future Medical Expenses
The second issue that arises in these cases is that Medicare and Medi-Cal will not want responsibility for paying the future medical expenses associated with your injury if you receive a settlement from the at-fault party’s insurer. In fact, these agencies may push for you to place a portion of your settlement in a trust in order to cover future medical care. As your legal counsel, attorney O’Neill will help you determine if a trust will be in your best interest and if not, he will help to navigate the legal discussions with Medicare and Medi-Cal.
Santa Maria Personal Injury Settlement Attorney
After a serious accident, the Law Office of Daniel J. O’Neill can help you recover the financial compensation you deserve. Contact us toll-free at 1-877-640-6522 and ask to speak with an experienced San Luis Obispo Medicare and Medi-Cal attorney about your case.
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