On March 9, 2012, a major Personal Injury Protection law was changed due to rampant fraud in the Tampa and Miami areas. ”This law shifts the burden of accidents to the victims, limits consumer choices and leaves insurance companies with more ways to avoid paying legitimate claims,” according to Bill Newton, the executive director of the Consumer Action Network.
According to the Sun Sentinel:
Here are the details on the new law and how it affects Florida motorists:
Q: What are the major changes in the PIP law?
A: Drivers will still have to carry personal-injury-protection insurance, but there will now be limits on treatment in the event of an accident. They must seek treatment within a 14-day window, and only emergency medical conditions warrant the full $10,000 worth of treatment reimbursed by PIP. The law also tightens licensing requirements for medical clinics that seek to have their services paid for by PIP.
Q: Can I still go see a chiropractor if I’m hurt in an accident?
A: Yes, but nonemergency care will be reimbursed only up to $2,500. Consumer advocates and trial lawyers have said they fear $2,500 is too low of a maximum payment and will not adequately cover care for physical problems such as back pain that might not qualify as emergency conditions.
Q: What does the law classify as an emergency condition?
A: That is still unclear and may be the subject of future lawsuits. The measure defines an emergency medical condition as something that seriously jeopardizes a patient’s health, impairs bodily functions or causes dysfunction of any bodily organ or part. Broken bones or internal bleeding obviously fall under emergency medical conditions, but something such as herniated discs might be debatable. The state Office of Insurance Regulation is working with insurers and the medical community to help reduce the gray areas.
Q: Are massages and acupuncture still entitled to reimbursement?
A: No. A report issued by state Chief Financial Officer Jeff Atwater’s office last year identified massage therapy for treatment of “soft-tissue” injuries such as sprains and whiplash as one of the top costs pushing up PIP rates. It was one of the first services that lawmakers decided to ax from the coverage.
Q: How much have PIP costs risen?
A: From 2008 to 2010, the amount insurers paid out rose from $1.45 billion to $2.45 billion. According to the Office of Insurance Regulation, in 2008, an unmarried 25-year-old man in West Palm Beach paid a $376 PIP premium. For 2013, that amount is projected to rise to $992.50. In Orlando, the increase was roughly from $239 to $594 for the same period, and in Tampa, $392 to $1,176.
In the spirit of Jimmy Fallon, thank you, fraudsters in Miami and Tampa for making life after a car accident even worse for honest, hard-working people.
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May 6, 2012
Categories: Florida, Tangerine . Tags: Accident, Automobile, florida motorists, Injury, Insurance fraud, Law, Personal Injury Protection, PIP . Author: 5redherrings . Comments: 3 Comments
