Car hits bike, does not leave info, bicyclist doesn't own car, health ins won't pay

[Tomkin]

I'm in Minnesota, and my girlfriend, a bicyclist, was hit by a car a few months ago. She does not own a car. She did not get the vehicle's license number or the driver's name.

She and the driver did talk before he left the scene, but she was extremely shook up and didn't think to get any information from the driver. There were no witnesses.

She walked to the hospital, where several X-rays were required. She didn't have any broken bones, just bad bruises, but later, she developed pleurisy, which required another doctor's visit, plus medication.

The claim is not fully processed yet, but her health insurance is saying they will probably refuse to pay the claim because the accident was a car accident (even though she was a pedestrian, does not own a car, and did not get any info from the driver).

Should she be worried? Will she have to pay the hospital bills?

 

[cbg]

It's not clear to me why being in a car accident would not be covered, unless there's something in the policy requiring subrogation in that case. However, if by some chance the bills turn out to be legitimately not covered by her insurance carrier, then yes, she has to pay them.

I understand that she was too shook up to think about getting the driver's insurance information, but the fact remains that since she didn't, she can't charge the bills back to the driver. If her health insurance does not pay them and the denial is upheld, then yes, she will have to pay those bills. She received the services; the hospital etc. is entitled to payment. They are not required to write the services off if there is no insurance payment.

She is certainly free to appeal any denial by the health insurance.