Insurance Claims Made Easy (with help from some friends)

Don’t we all hate the paperwork and the hassle of insurance claims – workers compensation, CTP or similar. And to have to chase after the unpaid invoices months after the case have closed. Since, January this year (I think), there have been some positive changes to the whole NSW Workcover system. Is it just me? I don’t recall being notified about the changes. Did a flyer arrive and went straight to the recycle bin? This is how it works when a patient comes in with a work related injury:

1. Patients should go to the iCare NSW site to lodge a claim. Follow the prompts to Make a Claim and Choose Workers Insurance Claim or Motor Accident Injury Claim.

2. Once a claim is submitted, the patient (or employer or anyone else) is informed by email with a claim number within 24 hours.

3. As GPs (generally the nominated treating doctor), we fill in the capacity for work certificate (thank God, it’s only 3 pages. The 4th propaganda page is no longer there!). Please note that the signature boxes have all changed.

4. You email the certificate to iCare NSW together with your invoice. Generally, we get paid within a few days. You give the certificate to the patient for his employer as well.

The new system is set up such that the claimant is entitled to $7500 of claim expenses (including doctors’ bills) whether the claim is accepted or not. Previously, if you need imaging (say an MRI), you need to wait for approval from the insurer.

Our friends at Spectrum Medical Imaging have the process even simpler. Fax or send the referral form to Spectrum and they will liaise with the system, contact the patient for the appointment and the results of the imaging returns to us. All with one click.