When an accident happens, it can be daunting and confusing to research all the benefits that are available to you. This can become a barrier to getting the help you need in order to feel better. From Available treatments to Benefits usage and Continuing care, we will go over the basics of how an ICBC claim works, and how you can make your ICBC claim work for you.
If you already have an existing claim and would like to learn how to transfer your treatments to a different clinic, click here.
A - Available treatments
As of May 1, 2021, ICBC has introduced the Enhanced Care program, which pre-approves you for treatment as soon as your claim has been submitted, no matter who is at fault in the accident. These pre-approved treatments are valid for the first twelve weeks after your accident and can be used at any care centre of your choosing. We recommend choosing a care centre that is easily accessible, can accommodate your schedule, and has the right types of practitioners for you. For instance, Evolve Therapeutic is a multidisciplinary clinic located right in central Richmond and is easily accessible by bus, train, or taxi.
There are different types of treatments that can be used to treat different areas:
Physical Health: These types of treatments target the body and how it operates on a daily basis. From your skeletal system alignment to your blood flow, physical health treatments aim to relieve discomfort and pain through different techniques, and strengthen the body to return it to natural functions.
Passive: Passive therapy treatments are those that are applied to your body, and aim to relieve pain, tension, and discomfort.
Active: Active therapy treatments are those that require your engagement and participation, and aim to stretch and strengthen the body.
Mental Health: These types of treatments focus on your emotional and mental state, and how you feel on a daily basis. Mental health treatments focus on one-on-one communications with a certified practitioner to uncover the emotional and mental impacts of your accident and how to move forward despite those impacts.
B- Benefit usage
Now that you are aware of the types of treatments available to you after your accident, it’s time to start using your benefits to get yourself back to your everyday life. Here are some of our top tips to managing your benefits as you begin to use them.
Track your appointments - Although your health care providers will most likely help you track your appointments, it can also be beneficial to write down your own appointment times and dates. This can help you keep a record of how many treatments you have used, and avoid any late cancellation fees that clinics may charge if you miss an appointment.
Use your treatments on a regular basis - Both physical health and mental health treatments are meant to be used on a regular, ongoing basis until symptoms have subsided, which means that you should work with your practitioner to come up with a treatment schedule that works for your lifestyle and benefits your healing process. Attending treatments on a regular basis can help you avoid relapses in experiencing the negative effects of your accident, both physically and mentally.
Use more than one treatment if you can - Because all types of treatments have different functions and focus on different techniques, it may be beneficial to use more than one typeof treatment. For instance, after a chiropractor adjusts your skeletal system, having a massage can help relieve the tension in the muscles around those bones. Different types of treatments can work together to help the healing process in the same areas of the body. Contact your practitioner to ask if using multiple treatments is right for you.
Make the most of your time - Attending treatments on top of daily living activities can be tiresome or time-consuming. If you are able to choose a clinic that has more than one type of practitioner, try booking back-to-back treatments to make the most of your time at the clinic. For example, instead of booking a counselling session on Monday afternoon and a physiotherapy treatment on Wednesday morning, try booking physiotherapy followed by counseling on Monday afternoon. If you need assistance with booking back-to-back treatments, ask your practitioner or the reception team to help you.
C- Continuing care
What happens if those twelve weeks end and you’re still struggling to recover from the effects of your accident? In most cases, a practitioner can request an extension of your benefits on your behalf once your benefits’ end date has passed. The same can be done if you have used up the allotted approved ICBC-covered sessions before your benefits’ end date.
An extension requires a report to be written by your practitioner and submitted to ICBC for review. A member of ICBC’s recovery team will assess the report and make a decision based on the given information if they believe you need more treatment. If they approve the extension, you will be granted a new set of approved sessions with a new end date. If they need more information about your condition, they may set up an opportunity to speak with you.
Depending on the severity of the accident, your progress in healing, and the presence of underlying conditions, an extension can be submitted multiple times by multiple practitioners over the span of multiple months. While not all extensions may be approved, listen to your body and talk to your practitioner if you still feel as though you need more care after your end date.
At Evolve Therapeutic, we are dedicated to helping you recover from an accident. We offer a wide range of treatments that can benefit both mind and body. If you have an ICBC claim, give us a call and let us help you get back to better living!
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