Q: I was just in a car accident. How will my care be paid for?

This is one of the first things people ask me, and I’m always glad they do because the answer is usually better than they expect.

If you have auto insurance in Oregon, you most likely have something called Personal Injury Protection, or PIP. Oregon requires it on most policies, and it’s specifically designed to cover you after a car accident. The minimum coverage is $15,000, it pays out regardless of who was at fault, and it covers treatment for up to two years from the date of the accident or until the benefits run out. That’s a meaningful amount of coverage, and for a lot of my patients it’s more than enough to get them through their care.

What surprises many people is that PIP kicks in before your regular health insurance does. That means your normal deductibles and copays aren’t part of the equation right away. You can often walk in and start care without any out of pocket cost at the outset.

If your care ends up costing more than your PIP covers, there are still options. Your personal health insurance can usually step in at that point, and if the other driver was at fault, their liability coverage may also come into play. If none of that fully covers things, my office can work with you on a payment plan. The point is, we figure it out together — you don’t get left holding the bag.

The insurance and paperwork side of things is something my team handles for you. We’ll check your PIP benefits, bill the right insurance company directly, and take care of whatever documentation is needed. I know that stuff can feel overwhelming when you’re already dealing with an injury, so we try to take it completely off your plate. If you’ve been in a car accident in Oregon, there’s a good chance your care is already covered — come in, let me check you out, and we’ll sort out the insurance side together so you can focus on getting better.