As of right now, Texas is still the only state to offer comprehensive brain injury rehabilitation that is covered by insurance. However, the Brain Injury Association of California is now seeking to follow Texas’s example, by introducing Senate Bill 253: The Acquired Brain Injury Flexible Treatment Choice Act. The bill would prevent insurance companies from denying brain injury patients access to acute rehabilitation in California.
The first few months after a traumatic brain injury are critical for victims; this is the time when their brain is most receptive to healing. Unfortunately, due to lack of insurance coverage, or a company failing to inform an insured victim of their options, many brain injury victims are sent to nursing homes to recover without receiving any of these needed services.
Around 1.7 million people in the United States suffer brain trauma every year – whether from a vehicle accident, a sports-related accident, or other types of severe impact. Because of traumatic brain injuries, at least 3 million of these people live with disabilities. Yet studies show that two-thirds of patients are discharged from rehabilitation hospitals after a stay of around 16 days, receiving no further treatment.
Insurance companies have refused coverage in the past based on the lack of evidence that brain injury rehab programs work. The programs are expensive, costing anywhere from $600 to $8,000 per day. However, workers in the rehabilitation industry insist that the rehab works, and are pushing for further research to support this claim.
Brain injury victims deserve to have a chance at recovery. Until more bills like the ones in Texas and California are passed, traumatic brain injury patients will continue to be denied rehabilitation coverage from their insurance companies, facing the overwhelming cost of paying for it on their own.
If you or someone you love has suffered a traumatic brain injury in California due to someone else’s negligence, please contact the experienced brain injury attorneys at Jacoby & Meyers today to schedule your free case evaluation.
