Latest update from Workers Compensation Doctors about Who controls direction of care in Workers’ Compensation? A state-by-state comparison:
Workers' Compensation - Who chooses the doctor?
The short answer is: It depends on the state. In some states, the direction of care within workers’ compensation is controlled by the employer or their insurance carrier, while in other states it is controlled by the injured worker. To complicate matters further, certain states offer a blend, whereby the control is divided between both the employer and the injured worker. From a doctor’s perspective, this complexity can lead to confusion with regards to how to increase their number of workers’ compensation patients. Should they promote their practice to injured workers? To employers? To insurance carriers? Or perhaps even attorneys? The answer depends on the state.
The purpose of this post is to provide a state-by-state overview of the direction of care of work comp cases (and the implications for doctors) for each state.