Did you know that about 200,000 people in the United States die each year as a result of accidental personal injuries? Not only that but there are many more people who suffer a loss of quality of life due to an accident. For many people, the question is what kind of doctor they should use to help them with their personal injuries.

The first thing to understand is that it is possible to go outside of your network for personal injuries. However, there is a lot more to the story than that.

There are good reasons why many people almost always choose to receive treatment from doctors inside their network. On the other hand, plenty of people also decide it is better for them to choose a doctor outside of their network.

So what exactly does it mean to go outside of your network for personal injury treatment and what are the pros and cons? Read on to learn all about the most vital things to understand about going outside of your network to see a doctor!

What Exactly Are Out-of-Network Doctors?

Your medical network refers to the doctors who have made special agreements with your insurance company. Because they have made those agreements, your insurance company can calculate how much it should cost for you to receive treatment from one of the doctors that has signed an agreement with them.

This allows your insurance company to act as a one-stop shop for the many doctors inside the insurance company’s medical network. Most people prefer to use doctors who have made agreements with their insurance company because it will lower their costs.

In most cases, the agreements that doctors make with insurance companies stipulate that the insurance company will cover most or at least some of the costs for the patient. So what happens if you go outside of your network for a medical treatment?

The Costs for Different Types of Doctors

If you receive treatment outside of your network, you will probably pay a different copay. The copay for a visit to a doctor in your network might only cost $20 or so. On the other hand, you might pay closer to $200 to see a doctor outside of your network.

You can see similar patterns when it comes to things like coinsurance costs. Insurance companies often pay more than 75% of total healthcare costs. In some cases, they even pay closer to 90%.

In contrast, if you choose to go out-of-network, you might have to pay a coinsurance percentage of about 30%.

On top of everything else, there might be certain services that you have to pay for out of pocket. If you need a specific test that your insurance company does not cover for out-of-network treatment, it could double the amount you pay or more.

Personal Injury Lien Doctors

Considering these general principles, it might seem strange that some people decide to go out of their network for medical treatment at all. However, there are valuable services that you might only be able to find by going out of your medical network.

For example, your network might not provide you with access to a doctor on lien.

Some personal injury doctors make a point of specializing in injuries related to personal injury legal cases. They develop special expertise that helps them achieve the best possible results for their patients.

On top of that, they familiarize themselves with the legal aspects of personal injuries.

This can allow them to give helpful advice about how to manage your legal situation. For example, they might be able to recommend that you take photos of your injuries at certain specific intervals. That kind of a documentation can come in handy if you need to prove a point about the nature of your injuries in court.

Plus, personal injury and doctors are often available to act as expert witnesses in court. Expert witnesses help the judge and jury understand the seriousness and nature of your injuries.

It can be much more difficult for a lay person to express how much their injuries are affecting their quality of life. Even if they can put it in words, the judge and jury might be more inclined to listen to the testimony of a doctor who does not have a personal stake in the case.

Saving on Costs

This is only one example of the special services that people go out of their medical networks for. If you need this kind of service, it can outweigh all of the potential downsides of out-of-network treatment.

On top of that, personal injury lien doctors are often willing to defer payment until after the settlement of a personal injury case. That means that these services can be not only better tailored to personal injury needs, but they can also be more affordable.

Although it often makes sense to stay inside your medical network for care, it is essential that you know when to look elsewhere.

Understand Your Treatment Options After Personal Injuries

When people are dealing with personal injuries, it can be vital for them to find the best possible care. We hope that the details in this piece will make it easier for you to decide whether to receive treatment from a doctor in or out of your medical network. Depending on your situation, it might make sense for you to go out-of-network for the special advantages other doctors can provide.

To learn more about how to find the best treatment for your personal injuries, reach out and get in touch with us here at any time!