How Medicare Can Help With The Costs Of A Workplace Illness

There are some workplace illnesses and injuries that leave the workers in such a condition that they are unable to work for the rest of their lives. They need costly medical treatments, and worry about how they will be able to pay these bills and still be able to make ends meet.

While the Colorado workers’ compensation system provides benefits for those who were injured on the job, there are times when the process simply does not work. Individuals find themselves waiting for their requests to be reviewed, and in the end, they could still be rejected. Appeals can take time, and the workers need to have money while they are trying to get the compensation they need.

In some situations, injured workers may be able to recover Medicare benefits to help them deal with the costs of their treatment. Workers may apply for these benefits, and if the procedures are covered by Medicare, they will be able to use these funds to pay their medical bills.

Some workers may have had pre-existing conditions worsened due to a workplace illness or injury. Workers’ compensation benefits may not cover these new expenses, so Medicare can be used to pay these bills as well.

Those injured workers that receive both Medicare and workers’ compensation benefits need to be aware of the off-set requirements that may result in their specific situation. If the workers receive Medicare, and then subsequently receive a workers’ compensation settlement, you may need to reimburse Medicare for the expenses that they previously covered.

Additionally, workers may be eligible to recover Social Security Disability benefits for their injuries, and possibly benefits for their dependents as well. This can help families struggling after one of the wage-earners suffers a catastrophic injury.

Each of these types of compensation will have very specific rules in place. It is extremely important that individuals injured on the job contact a workers’ compensation attorney who is skilled at handling these types of claims and requests. You do not want to find yourself struggling to make ends meet while you are out of work due to your injuries.

Your attorney can help you navigate the systems, which will allow you to be sure that you are following all of the steps correctly. If your claims are denied, your attorney will be able to know what to do next in order to keep the process going. You may feel discouraged and confused, but you need to be sure that you are doing everything you can to protect your benefits.