SafetyPolicy Podcasts

Whether or not to direct care for an injured worker is always a question for our Participants.

Initial emergency medical treatment, such as an Emergency Room or Urgent care is not considered to be a selection of health care provider/facility by either the employer or the injured worker. The below pertains to medical treatment outside of Emergent Care.

If one of your employees is injured on the job, you as the employer can allow the injured worker to select their initial medical care provider/facility or you can direct the injured worker’s initial medical care to a medical care provider/facility of the employers choosing. Builders Trust highly recommends you ALWAYS let your injured employee choose his/her initial health care provider. We also recommend that you have this clearly posted at your office, your worksites and anywhere you are required to post mandatory government posters, including your New Mexico Workers Compensation Administration posters and Notice of Accident forms.

If you, as the employer, choose to direct medical care, your injured employee can then change to his/her choice of health care provider sixty days after the first date of (non-emergency) treatment. The injured worker will then control medical care for the remainder of the life of the claim.

Similarly, if the employer allows their injured worker to choose their medical provider, then the employer/ insurer may direct medical care for the life of the claim, sixty days after the first date of (non-emergency) treatment.

Direction of heath care provider is arguably the single most important decision made during the onset of a claim, as that decision lasts as long as the claim does.

As always, if you have any questions regarding direction of medical care please do not hesitate to call the Builders Trust Claims Department at (SOS) 332-9867 or (877) 777-7966.