After an accident, most Missouri auto policies include med-pay, which usually pays first regardless of fault; your health insurance picks up after it, workers’ compensation covers injuries at work, and we accept MO HealthNet. You do not need an attorney to be seen.
Accident billing confuses almost everyone, and it does not need to be settled before you are seen.
Can I be treated before the insurance is sorted out?
The single most useful thing to know is that you can be assessed and treated while the billing question is still open. People delay care for weeks trying to work out who pays, and that delay costs the window in which the injury responds best.
The second: this practice does not require you to have an attorney. Some accident clinics do. We do not. Having one or not changes nothing about your care.
Who pays medical bills after a car accident in Missouri?
Auto medical payments coverage
Most Missouri auto policies include med-pay, which applies regardless of who was at fault and is usually the first payer after a collision. It is worth checking your own policy for it even if you were not at fault.
Your health insurance
Picks up where med-pay ends. Bring the card. Some plans require a referral for specialist care. We check that for you when you call.
Workers’ compensation
For injuries at work. Bring the claim number and the adjuster or case manager’s name. In Missouri the employer generally directs care on an accepted claim.
The at-fault driver’s insurer
Typically pays at the end of a claim rather than during treatment, which is why it is rarely the mechanism that gets you treated now.
Missouri Medicaid
We accept MO HealthNet, which is unusual for interventional pain in this region.
What is a letter of protection after an accident?
A letter of protection is the arrangement people ask about most and understand least. Where an attorney is involved and a claim is pending, treatment can sometimes be billed against the eventual settlement rather than paid at the time. It is an option rather than a requirement, and we will discuss it where it applies.
We do not give legal advice about your claim. We do not tell you whether to hire an attorney, or what your case is worth. Those are not medical questions. Anyone in a clinic who answers them is out of their depth.
What we do is document properly, starting at the first visit. We record how you were hurt, the objective exam findings, how the imaging fits, and the specific things you can no longer do. That is what any payer or adjuster actually responds to. A record written six weeks after the fact carries much less weight.
When to get help immediately
If you are avoiding care because of cost or uncertainty about coverage, call and say so. Putting off an exam after an injury is the expensive option. The practical answer is usually simpler than people expect.
To be assessed, call or text us. We are at 12174 Natural Bridge Rd, Suite 110, St. Louis, MO 63044. No referral is needed and no attorney is required. See accident and injury care.
Common questions
Do I need an attorney to be treated here?
No. Some accident clinics require one. We do not. It changes nothing about your care.
Who pays if I was at fault?
Med-pay applies regardless of fault in most Missouri policies, and health insurance applies after that.
There is more on this in Insurance & Medicaid.
Do you accept Missouri Medicaid for accident care?
Yes, as for everything else here.
Insurance & Medicaid covers MO HealthNet, Medicare and commercial plans.
Does the at-fault driver’s insurance pay my medical bills?
Usually not while you are being treated. The at-fault driver’s insurer typically pays at the end of a claim, which is why it is rarely what gets you seen now. Med-pay on most Missouri auto policies usually pays first regardless of fault, your health insurance picks up after that, and we accept MO HealthNet.
What do I bring for a workers’ comp injury?
Bring your claim number and the name of your adjuster or case manager. Workers’ compensation covers injuries that happen at work, and in Missouri the employer generally directs care on an accepted claim. The billing question does not need to be settled before you are seen, so do not put off care while the claim is worked out.
Do I need a referral to see a pain doctor after an accident?
Not from us. No referral is needed to be seen here, and no attorney is required. Some health plans do require a referral for specialist care. We check that for you when you call. The billing question does not have to be settled first, because delaying care costs the window when an injury responds best.
Can you tell me what my accident case is worth?
No. We do not give legal advice, tell you whether to hire an attorney, or put a value on your case, because those are not medical questions. What we do is document properly from the first visit. We record how you were hurt, what the exam found, how the imaging fits, and your specific limits. That is what payers and adjusters respond to.
Sources
- Smits EJ et al. Expert consensus and perspectives on recovery following road traffic crashes: a Delphi study. Disability and rehabilitation, 2022. PubMed 33305970
- Hurri H et al. Functional Tests Predicting Return to Work of Workers with Non-Specific Low Back Pain: Are There Any Validated and Usable Functional Tests for Occupational Health Services in Everyday Practice? A Systematic Review. International journal of environmental research and public health, 2023. PubMed 36982096
- Vora RN et al. Work-related chronic low back pain-return-to-work outcomes after referral to interventional pain and spine clinics. Spine, 2012. PubMed 22739674
Hurt in an accident? Start here.
You do not need a lawyer, a police report or a referral to be seen. Bring your symptoms and we will work out the rest.
Monday–Friday, 8:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. Same-day appointments are often available for new accident and injury patients.