"I WANT MONEY," is not the Right Message to Send to an Insurance Company.

I WANT MONEY

The Statute of Limitations for filing suit in a personal injury case in Florida is 4 Years.  However, in the same state, here in Florida, there is a 14 DAY limit to wait, to begin treatment, after a car accident.

Think about this for a second, please.  You will see the point I am trying to make.   WHY?  Why would you first seek an attorney before a doctor?  You are injured, RIGHT?

Do you know what kind of a message that this sends to an insurance company?

PLEASE DON'T DO THIS!   You have 4 WHOLE YEARS to get the paperwork in with an attorney and file against an insurance company. This is 4 years!  The law is very clear on this topic.

And, it's very clear on this also:  You only have 14 DAYS to get under care for an auto accident in Florida.  ONLY 14 days.  And, it goes by very quick.  Injured car accident patients SHOULD seek treatment right away.  And, when you seek treatment right away, you send an entirely different message to the insurance company.

The message that you send when you seek treatment first, is "I am injured."
The message that you send when you seek an attorney first, is "I want Money."

I have been treating car accident patients for 20+ years.  I know the rules and the laws, and have a lot of experience with this.  You can contact me and I will personally explain this to you, or better yet, call me and set up your appointment.

Alan Himmel, DC PA
954-659-8600--Call me directly.

Is there such thing as a Florida PIP No-Fault Insurance Provider?

What is a Florida PIP No-Fault Insurance Provider?

Miramar Chiropractor Accident Doctor

Can a doctor be a provider of PIP No Fault Insurance?  I know there are Blue Cross Blue Shield providers, and Aetna, and Humana, for example. But what about PIP?  I say, yes.

We are a Florida No Fault PIP Provider.  I say this as IF it requires a special designation or certification to see car accident patients and communicate with PIP carriers for reimbursement.  Well, of course it turns out that it does NOT take any special certification to this.  So, why do I call myself a Florida PIP No-Fault Provider?  It is because over the years I have met many doctors, yes, chiropractors as well, who do not handle these types of patients.  When asked why, do you know what the number one reason was?  It is that they don't know how to do it, and they never get paid.  This usually results in the doctor chasing the patient around for payment.  It means sending several bills to a patient and then collections, and it usually ends up a total waste of time.  The doctor's office loses, and of course, the patient loses as well.

I have actually gotten several patients over the last 20 years because when they went to their regular doctor, they were told, "Sorry, we don't take accident patients."  That's when they were referred to me for care, and I handled not only the communication and payment from the proper insurance carrier, but also handled the intricate documentation and proper referrals that are often times needed throughout the period of care of the patient.  This is not to mention the writing of a very detailed report which outlines the details of the accident, the injuries, the diagnosis, prognosis, future costs of health care, possible loss of work which will cost the patient income in the future.

Knowing what I know, and what I have seen over the years, I would encourage anyone who has been injured in a car accident to make sure they go to a provider who is experienced and knowledgeable on dealing with PIP.  It is entirely different than HMO or PPO or medicare rules.  PIP billing, in a sense, is a specialty.  It is not well taught in billing and coding schools, and you would not expect an average insurance biller or doctor, to know how to handle it.

I have been dealing with nothing but PIP for 20 years now.  I am very experienced in the rules and correct procedures that are often changed by the Florida Legislature almost once a year.

If you have been in an accident, please call me first.  I will explain everything to you so you will be up to speed on the topic, and you don't make any mistakes which could cost you a lot of money down the road.

Dr. Alan Himmel, DC, PA.
954-659-8600

The Changes to the Florida PIP law have worked to stop fraud: True or False?

The Changes to the Florida PIP law have worked to stop fraud:  True or False?

Dr. Alan Himmel

The articles are beginning to come out stating that the changes in the PIP laws that occurred in 2012 have decreased the rate of fraud, and costs to insurance companies, and ultimately to consumers.  This is a good thing if its true.  It may be that the decreases in payouts are due to the $2500 insurance cut off, or the 14 day rule, which states that you better get to a doctor within 14 days or you get $0.00 in coverage.  It may also be due to the fact that now, there is no coverage for acupuncture or massage, two effective, safe, alternatives to medications and surgery.

As a practitioner who sees accident patients in FL, doctors now have two less options to offer patients when they are suffering from painful injuries from automobile trauma.  Plus, patients have to get better with 75% less insurance coverage than they had in the past, since not all patients will have an "emergency medical condition"  (EMC) which is supposed to allow the patient to have their full benefit.

So, I ask you:  What do you think is the true reason that insurance companies are reporting savings?   Could the answer be that there is now more opportunity for the insurance carriers to deny coverage, since the payouts are capped now in many cases?  Or, could it be true that the savings is due to less fraud?   I would be one of the first to start celebrating if I was sure that the savings to insurance companies was about the reduction in crime, but I am not 100% sure about that one.

14 day Deadline to get treatment after a Car Accident Begins in Florida. Patients and Doctors are OUTRAGED!

ATTENTION CAR ACCIDENT PATIENTS!

NEW FLORIDA LAW REGARDING CAR ACCIDENT CLAIMS IN FLORIDA!

You have only 14 days to get treatment if you have been involved in a Car Accident in Florida.

Do you know what this means? This means if you are in an accident, and think that the pain will go away by itself, but it doesn't after 14 days, your insurance company that you pay all that money to every month, will DENY your claim.

Don't wait! Call Now.  954-659-8600.  Dr. A. Himmel

 14 Day Emergency Treatment offered to Car Accident Patients in Florida.

We have doctors who will see you 24 hours a day and 7 days a week at your home or our offices in Broward, Dade, or Palm Beach Counties.



If you wait one extra minute over 14 days, you lose $10,000 in PIP benefits that your are paying for by law.

CALL NOW.  This is no joke.  You will be forfeiting $10,000 of your insurance benefit if you wait.  

We have doctors who will travel to YOU so that you can initiate your treatment before the 14 day deadline expires.  We file ALL the paperwork for you so that the ONLY thing you need to worry about is feeling better after your car accident!  Any questions, just call us at 954-659-8600.  Dr. A.  Himmel

Florida No Fault 14 Day Treatment Rule.

SUPPOSE YOU HAVE A CAR ACCIDENT ON JAN 1, 2013 OR LATER...

Dr. Alan Himmel

Is anyone aware of another little change to the Florida No-Fault PIP law that goes into effect on Jan 1, 2013?  Of course not, so I am here to inform you of another very important fact that you should know if you are an insured Florida resident.

Let me set the scene: You are either the victim of or an at fault driver involved in an auto accident which occurs on, lets say Jan 1, 2013 or thereafter.  You are driving, and all of a sudden, you collide with another car which is not stopping.  The accident causes car causing damage, and also caused some neck pain and headache.  You go home that day and you take some Ibuprofen and ice it, and your neck and headache feel a little better.  You decide that the pain is not so bad, and  you figure that the neck stiffness that is setting in, is no big deal.  After all, you have had a stiff neck in the past, and it always goes away within a week or so.  So, you just decide to rest it, ice it, and take over the counter pain killers. It actually begins to feel better after about a week, and at this point you figure it will continue improving.  You are busy at work and with the family.  You don't have time to waste going to doctors and getting xrays, because you think that you will be OK, and its not that important anyway.  But it starts to get to a point that the neck pain and stiffness are not improving anymore and your wife is telling you to go get checked out.  So, you make an appointment at your doctors office.  Today is Friday and your doctor cannot see you until Monday;  so take it.

Well, little did you know, that Monday is exactly 15 days after your car accident.  You go to get checked out, and your doctor is worried and decides to order an MRI to rule out serious problems. He also writes you a prescription and that same night, you get the MRI done.  The report comes back in a few days and there are two cervical disc herniations.  Well, your doctor at this point is thinking Orthopedics, Physical Therapy or Chiropractic care, because he knows that these things left untreated can very often get worse to the point that there is radiating pain, numbness, and tingling down your arms.  He tells you that sometimes these things require surgery.  Now you are worried.



But wait!  At least you were responsible enough to pay your auto insurance, which is mandatory in Florida.  You have always been a responsible person and actually you have been paying for years and never missed a payment and never even filed a claim.  By the way, just to let you all know, PIP insurance is primary in Florida, meaning that if you decide to use your health insurance, your health insurance company will deny your claim because your injury is auto accident related.  But, not to worry, you have GEICO.  Or was it Allstate?  Or Progressive....   Hmmm.  It doesn't matter anyway, which insurance company you have.

Do you know why?

Because your Governer, Mr. Rick Scott, created a law that states that you must initiate treatment within the first 14 days and you waited 15 days.  You are now completely out of luck.  You paid for your coverage and now your wonderful elected officials created a new way for your insurance company to deny your claim.   No coverage for you.  Your insurance company gets off the hook and they get to keep the money you paid them.  They don't have to pay your doctor bills.  And guess what?  Its a state law!

Do Not Wait.  If you have been involved in a car accident in Miramar or a car accident in Pembroke Pines FL, You should get treatment immediately.  You can call me personally, Dr. Alan Himmel.  I answer the phone myself.  954-659-8600 or 305-979-5549

You can also check out my Website, www.MiramarChiropractor.com