Five things ICBC Accident Claimants Need To Know Regarding Their Recovery
#1. If you are involved in a motor vehicle accident you automatically qualify for the following extended health treatments:
12 Acupuncture
$120 for initial consultation & treatment
$100 for follow up treatments
12 Massage
12 Physiotherapy
12 Kinesiology
12 Clinical counselling
#2 You have three months from the date of your accident to seek treatment. You don’t need anyone’s approval at ICBC. They will give you a claim number that you present to your healthcare practitioner. Some practitioners will bill ICBC directly on your behalf while others you submit the expense to ICBC for reimbursement yourself.
#3 ICBC provides a specific amount per treatment per practitioner. For example, an initial acupuncture treatment ICBC will cover $120. If the practitioner charges (like I do) $150 for an initial consultation, you pay the remaining $30 out of pocket.
For follow up appointments I charge $130 but ICBC only pays $100. The patient pays the $30 difference.
#4 Once the 12 weeks are up, at the practitioner’s discretion, they can submit a treatment plan to ICBC outlining your progress to date and request an extension for more treatments. Depending on the severity of the accident ICBC will generally approve treatment extensions.
The challenge patients often face is their claims adjuster. These people turnover quite frequently. It’s not uncommon for a patient to have multiple adjusters over the course of their claim. And sometimes patients can get an adjuster who quite frankly doesn’t do their job. When this happens it’s frustrating for the patient and the practitioner. If your adjuster is not approving your extension for treatment or they are not returning your calls the best bet is to email FairPractices@icbc.com and explain what’s happening with your claim. This will generally get the adjuster moving on your file again.
#5. Schedule your 12 appointments right away to ensure continuum of care
The most important thing that patients need to know is that the patient is ultimately in charge of their recovery. It takes time to see multiple practitioners especially if the patient is still working, has kids or is severely injured. The best thing to do is consult with your doctor to determine the 2 or 3 practitioners you should see right away and book 12 treatments with them. Most practitioners have online booking systems. And can be booked up weeks or months in advance. Book your appointments as soon as you sort out your schedule.
Things like counselling or kinesiology can come a bit later once the soft tissue damage has subsided. Use the initial time for massage, physio and acupuncture.
