Most Iowa employers are required by law to provide medical treatment to employees who are hurt in work-related accidents or who become ill due to work conditions. Iowa Code 85.27 requires employers to provide the following types of medical treatment so long as they are reasonable:
- Surgeries.
- Medical treatment.
- Dental treatment.
- Osteopathic treatment.
- Podiatric treatment.
- Physical rehabilitation.
- Nursing services.
- Ambulance and hospital services.
The employer must also provide reasonable medical supplies to workers who are hurt or sick because of work-related incidents.
Who Provides the Care?
It is the employer’s right to choose medical providers for an employee who is seeking to have medical expenses paid through the workers’ compensation system. The choice of medical providers must be reasonably suited to treat the injury or illness suffered by the employee.
Of course, it is your health that is at stake and you have an important interest in getting the right medical care. If you disagree with your employer’s choice of medical providers, then you have some options, including:
- Talking to your employer or your employer’s insurer about changing providers.
- Requesting that the Iowa Workers’ Compensation Commissioner approve alternative medical care.
- Seeking an independent medical examination if you have given a rating for a permanent disability and you believe that the rating is too low.
Any medical information that is related to your workers’ compensation claim is not privileged and must be released to your employer or your employer’s insurance company upon request.
Medical Care Is a Critical Part of Your Workers’ Compensation Recovery
You will not be reimbursed for medical expenses as part of a workers’ compensation recovery. Instead, the doctors or medical providers that your employer chooses should be paid directly.
There is, arguably, nothing more important than the medical care that you receive and the physical recovery that you are able to make. Accordingly, we encourage you to contact us directly if you have been hurt in a work-related accident. To learn more tips for protecting your workers’ compensation claim, please call us directly or browse our website for more information.
