Insurance

The new law in Illinois allows the employer to establish a Preferred Provider Program.

The PPP must be in place and approved at the time of injury.

The injured worker must be informed of the PPP on a specific form.

The injured worker has 2 choices of doctors within the network.

If the Workers’ Compensation Commission finds the second doctor has not provided adequate care, then you may chose a doctor out of network.

The injured worker may opt out of the PPP at any time but it constitutes a choice of one doctor.

Non-emergency treatment prior to the report of injury counts as the choice of 1 doctor.

You are still limited to the choice of 2 doctors.

It saves them money to prolong payment.

They have different levels of people who must sign off on the payment. Remember these are large businesses.

The adjusters are overworked. Insurance companies have cut back on staff like other businesses.

The bottom line is that you must keep asking them when the payment is coming. The more you bother them the quicker they want to get rid of you.

This means that for injuries on or after September 1, 2011 new rules are in effect.

The old law applies for injuries before September 1, 2011.

The date the claim is filed does not matter.

The value of injuries after September 1, 2011 will likely be reduced.

A new standard of determining value kicks in and one of the factors is the AMA guidelines. This takes into account some medical factors which may make it more difficult to get a higher settlement.

The full effect of the new work comp law will not be known for another year or two.

The psychological effect will most likely be lower settlement offers from Work Comp insurance companies.