After settlement question.

[ksgirl]

I haven't setteled yet, but I was wondering after you settle with open medical, how do you go to the dr? If you are having a problem with your injury, who do you see and does it have to be approved first? I was just thinking about it and since I am having so much trouble with getting to see my dr again and getting him to listen to me, would I be better off to settle and then get treatment?
Thanks all!

[1171]

If it's not settled the medical benefit portion of your claim remains unchanged and functions as it did prior to settlement.

[ksgirl]

Thank you 1171. So I take it that if I were to receive open medical at settelment time, I would still have to go to a wc dr of their choice and have to have preapproval. Ok, I guess I had better find out what's going on for sure before I settle or figure out how to close medical.

[Bummer Knees]

Here in Kansas after settlement with open medical in most cases it takes going to court to get medical treatment approved.

My sister recently had a cortisone shot in her shoulder and even though she had settled she had to go before the judge for approval.

I asked my attorney about open medical and having to go before the judge for approval of medical treatments after settlement and he said this is the way it is in Kansas.

[ksgirl]

It amazes me that at no time is our injury ours! Why do all of these people that aren't drs get to decide what happens to us? As soon as I get a chance I am going to talk to my attorney about all of this. With a back injury I could be dealing with these people forever and I have no desire to do that! OK, I'll try to quit fussing now.
Thanks for letting me know how it works in Kansas Bummer.

[1171]

my 2 cents:
Our health system decided long ago that cost needed to be a factor in treatment decisions; blank check medicine is mostly gone.
you don't have to have a medical degree to add and subtract.
luckily many of the national politicians may try to deal with improving and balancing these competing factors.