Massachusetts General Laws, Chapter 90, Section 34M, provides that every car insurance policy issued in Massachusetts must include Personal Injury Protection insurance, commonly referred to as “PIP.” Unless you have a deductible for this section, PIP coverage provides up to $8,000 in coverage for payment of collision-related medical bills. PIP benefits can also be used for reimbursement of 75% of your lost wages if you are unable to work due to your injuries.
Typically, if you have private health insurance, the first $2,000 of your medical bills incurred due to a collision will be paid entirely by PIP. Beyond the first $2,000, PIP can be used to cover co-pays or other amounts that are not covered by your health insurance.
For a more detailed look into PIP Benefits, please see our previous blog on the topic.
What is Medical Payments Coverage?
Medical Payments (“MedPay”) coverage is an optional add-on to your insurance policy, which can further help cover collision-related medical bills. Medical Payments coverage, like PIP, applies regardless of who caused the accident. Medical Payments coverage only becomes available after you have used the entirety of your PIP benefits. However, if you have private health insurance, Medical Payments coverage becomes available after the first $2,000 in PIP benefits has been paid out. This can be beneficial in the setting of private health insurance because a health insurer can assert a lien on your case for the amount of medical bills they pay which are related to an accident. This was discussed recently in another one of our blog posts. However, if medical bills are paid by MedPay, there is no lien for those amounts paid.
The interplay of PIP, Medical Payments, and health insurance can be confusing, and is often the last thing you want to think about after being injured in a car accident.
The attorneys at Sugarman and Sugarman, P.C., have decades of experience handling car accident claims, and dealing with the interplay of these three medical coverages. If you or someone you love has been injured in a car accident, you may be able to make a claim for damages. If you wish to speak to one of Sugarman and Sugarman’s attorneys about your potential claim, please fill out a Contact Form or call the firm at (617) 542-1000.
