New Legislation Adds Chiropractic Care to Workers’ Comp in Oklahoma

  1. Worker's Compensation
  2. New Legislation Adds Chiropractic Care to Workers’ Comp in Oklahoma

Beginning November 1, 2020, chiropractic care will be added to the list of reimbursable medical treatments under Oklahoma’s workers’ compensation benefits system. Oklahoma Governor Kevin Stitt signed the bill adding chiropractic care on May 20, 2020.

Current law states that employers must promptly provide medical, surgical, hospital, podiatric, nursing, and optometric services. As part of this expanded coverage for injured employees, chiropractic coverage will include the following requirements:

  • As with other medical providers, employers will have the right to choose the chiropractic care provider for any injured employee.
  • Employees that were already undergoing or have a preference for chiropractic care will be able to request their own provider through a dispute resolution process as outlined in the Oklahoma Workplace Medical Plan.
  • Chiropractors will be subject to the same qualifying and reporting procedures as other medical providers under workers’ compensation program guidelines.

Previously, chiropractic care had been considered an alternative treatment. However, in recent years, attitudes about the efficacy of chiropractic care have changed and the new Oklahoma law reflects an increased demand for these services.

While the type of medical treatment needed for workplace injuries will vary, many can benefit from chiropractic care since this type of treatment provides a long-term solution for back pain, neck pain, headaches and migraines, and several other injury types. While chiropractors are not licensed to practice surgery or prescribe medications, certain patients suffering from neuromuscular disorders can benefit greatly from chiropractic care that involves manual adjustment of the spine to relieve a number of health problems.

Medical Treatment After A Work-Related Injury

If you have suffered a work-related injury, your employer has the right to choose the physician that treats you. However, they must make this decision in a timely manner. The law states that employers must provide medical treatment to injured workers within five days of learning about their injuries. This means you should receive medical treatment within five days at the latest.

If your employer does not provide treatment within this timeframe, you shouldn’t put off treatment any longer. The law states that you are allowed to choose your own physician if your employer misses this five-day deadline. Your employer is still required to cover the cost of your treatment even though they did not choose your physician.

Have you been injured in the workplace? If so, seek legal representation from the attorneys at Armstrong & Vaught, P.L.C. at once. We take great pride in helping injured workers secure the workers’ compensation benefits they are entitled to by law. Let us fight for you. Call us at (918) 582-2500 or toll-free at (800) 722-8880 or complete the simple form below for a free consultation with a skilled attorney.

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