Can workers’ comp cover chiropractic care for healthcare workers?

Most workers give more to their jobs than they realize. While providing time and effort is common, some workers could face serious risks to their health and safety due to the nature of their profession. Of course, even individuals in relatively low-risk jobs could end up injured because of an on-the-job accident.

Fortunately, if you do suffer harm as the result of a work-related incident, your employer’s workers’ compensation insurance will likely cover your medical expenses and needs. Still, workers’ comp is not exhaustive in the types of medical care it will cover, so you may want to ensure that the insurance will cover any treatment you need or elect to move forward with.

Does workers’ comp cover chiropractic care?

In particular, you and your doctor may believe that receiving chiropractic care after a work-related injury could help your recovery. In some cases, workers’ comp does not cover this type of care. However, to qualify in North Carolina, you would need to meet the following stipulations:

• Your employer would need to give you permission to obtain chiropractic medical care for your injury.
• If granted permission, you can attend a maximum of 20 chiropractic visits if that many are medically necessary.
• In the event that more than 20 visits are necessary, your chiropractor would need to request authorization from your employer for you to obtain additional visits under workers’ comp coverage.

In particular, you may need chiropractic care if you suffer a back injury, which is not uncommon for healthcare workers. Lifting patients, moving equipment and numerous other activities you likely carry out on the job on a daily basis could lead to a serious back injury that chiropractic care could help treat.

Getting the care you need and deserve

Unfortunately, situations can arise in which workers face pushback from employers about the type of care they can receive or even what workers’ compensation will cover. If you suffer an injury on the job and feel that your employer or the insurance company is not treating your case properly, you may need to look into your legal options for enforcing your rights. While it may seem drastic, taking such steps could better ensure that you do not have to suffer unnecessarily due to unfair actions from your employer or insurer.