Colorado Medical Payments Insurance - Med Pay
Med-Pay insurance pays for medical expenses incurred as a result of auto accidents. Your Med-Pay insurance covers the driver and passengers in your covered vehicle but does not cover the occupants of the at fault driver’s vehicle. Med-Pay coverage is essential if you do not have health insurance. Med-Pay is highly beneficial even if you do have health insurance, as Med pay covers medical expenses that are often not covered by health insurance and also may be used to pay health insurance co-pays and deductibles.
Beginning January 1, 2009, Colorado auto insurers must offer at least $5000 in Med-Pay coverage. If the insurer does not make that offer, then you will automatically have $5000 in Med-Pay coverage. You may purchase higher amounts of Med-Pay coverage or you may “opt out” of Med-Pay coverage by executing a waiver of such coverage. To be adequately protected, you should not opt out of Med-Pay coverage but should purchase the most Med-Pay coverage that you can afford.
If you make a claim against the at fault driver’s liability insurance and recover damages, then your Med-Pay insurer may seek reimbursement for the medical expenses that it paid on your behalf. This is called “subrogation.” Med-Pay insurers may seek subrogation on policies issued prior to January 1, 2009 but are prohibited by law from seeking subrogation on policies issued on or after January 1, 2009 for accidents that happened on or after January 1, 2009.
Also beginning January 1, 2009, Med-Pay insurers must reserve $5000 for the payment of the medical expenses of ambulance services, trauma physicians, and trauma centers incurred within thirty days after initial notice to the insurer of the auto accident. After the thirty day period, all the Med-Pay coverage is available to pay any auto accident related medical bill.
The recipients of medical care are always personally responsible for the payment of medical care that they have received despite the fact that someone else negligently caused the injuries and the need for the medical care. The at fault driver’s liability insurer will not pay your medical expenses as they are incurred. If your medical expenses are not timely paid, then your medical providers may take collection actions against you. Therefore, it is imperative to have Med-Pay if you do not have health insurance.
Fort Collins Colorado Auto Insurance Attorney Mac Hester
