A worker who has been hurt on the job or diagnosed with a medical condition caused by their employment can rely on workers’ compensation coverage for their treatment expenses, as long as they are eligible for workers’ comp coverage. The benefits available for injured and sickened workers in Minnesota is comprehensive, which means they don’t have co-pays or deductibles to cover themselves.
Most workers would, therefore, prefer to use workers’ compensation health benefits whenever possible for conditions that relate to their employment. However, there is a lot of misinformation about how long people can receive workers’ compensation benefits after acquiring a medical issue related to their employment in Minnesota.
Benefits can last as long as treatment does
For some injured employees, workers’ compensation will fully cover their care costs. They have a condition that requires specific interventions, such as trauma care for a fracture followed by physical therapy when the doctor removes the cast. Workers’ compensation may cover all of their treatment expenses until they fully recover and go back to work.
Sadly, not every worker will make a full recovery, and there may be some limitations that apply to the medical benefits they receive. Workers’ compensation health benefits will not cover additional treatment after a doctor determines that they have reached maximum medical improvement for their condition and that treatment will not lead to any significant improvements. If a worker stops complying with a doctor’s recommendations, they may face pushback if they seek coverage for care in the future.
Provided that a worker abides by medical instructions and returns to work when they are able to do so, they may potentially qualify for additional medical benefits in the future if their symptoms ever flare up or affect their job again at a later date. They can also continue getting benefits for symptom management indefinitely.
There is typically no specific timeline for the end of benefits nor a maximum amount of coverage available. Instead, a patient’s compliance with rules and their response to treatment will largely determine what benefits they receive. Learning more about how workers’ compensation health benefits function may make it easier for employees to get the care and financial support they need for their job-related medical conditions.