Florida’s HB119 PIP Reform: What’s The Deal?

Many in the Personal Injury world are concerned about Florida’s PIP Reform (HB119) passed in March of 2012. Passed as an attempt to reduce fraud in the no-fault PIP coverage required in Florida, this legislation is feared to have a significant effect on the way many in the legal/medical world conduct their businesses. The fact is, until enacted (January 1, 2013) and tested, nobody really knows what is going to be the real result of the legislation.

However, what is clear to many attorneys and experts at Power Liens, is that letters of protection (LOP’s) will be much more important moving forward. Chiropractors are much less likely to be paid out of PIP coverage and, therefore, their services will have to be rendered on an LOP/lien. This is good news for Florida Chiropractors on Power Liens as attorneys will be flooded with cases they’ll need to use LOPs for. That means our network of doctors will be seeing a lot more referrals coming their way!

We’ll keep you posted with more!

The basics of the new law are this:

1. The injured are required to see a medical professional within 14 days of the accident in order to use ANY of their PIP coverage to pay for the medical expenses.

2. The initial medical treatment must be lawfully provided, supervised, ordered, or prescribed by a licensed physician (M.D.), D.O. (Doctor of Osteopath), Dentist or Chiropractic Physician, or provided in a hospital or in a facility that owns or is wholly owned by a hospital.

3. Follow-up procedures can be covered by PIP if they are on the referral from an MD, DO, DC.

4. Medical expenses for an emergency medical condition (EMC) will be reimbursed up to $10,000. Non-EMD conditions will be reimbursed up to $2,500.

5. Only an MD or a DO can qualify somebody as an EMC. Chiropractors cannot.