If a physician bills an injured worker, what action should be taken?

• A. File a complaint in intervention
• B. File a complaint with the medical board
• C. File a lawsuit
• D. Do nothing

Answer: (A)

When a physician bills an injured worker in a workers’ compensation context, the issue belongs in the workers’ compensation process rather than as a normal patient billing matter. The appropriate step is to file a complaint in intervention in the ongoing workers’ compensation case. An intervention lets the party involved join the case to address and challenge the improper billing, ensuring medical treatment is compensated through the workers’ comp system and protecting the worker from direct charges.

Filing with the medical board would concern professional misconduct or licensing issues, not the billing dispute within the workers’ comp framework. Filing a civil lawsuit isn’t the standard remedy for a billing issue under workers’ comp, and doing nothing would allow the improper billing to continue. So, filing a complaint in intervention is the correct action to properly address the situation within the workers’ compensation process.