Will Workers Compensation Cover My EMDR Treatment?

New procedures or treatment may encounter some push back in workers’ compensation claims.

People with all sorts of conditions will routinely be prescribed what is sometimes deemed as “non-traditional” treatment. These are procedures or medications that are roughly new to the world of medicine.

It’s an essential component that allows the entire industry to improve, and offer better care for the patient. However, when it comes to the insurance companies carrying the health coverage, especially in a workers’ compensation claim, new procedures or treatment may encounter some push back.

Let’s discuss for example: EMDR treatments.

What’s EMDR?

EMDR stands for “eye movement desensitization and reprocessing” and it’s a psychotherapy treatment originally designed to help people with distress caused by trauma.

Its goal is to help people heal from emotional distress onset by disturbing life experiences, and multiple studies have claimed that it is an effective treatment. One study, in particular, found that 70% of its participants experienced drastic improvements after three sessions, compared to 29% of participants who underwent other forms of therapy.

It’s an 8 phase treatment, which also decreases the chance of patient dropout, which is quite common in traditional therapy.

Does Missouri Worker’s compensation Cover EMDR?

EMDR is an approved treatment for PTSD, however, workers’ compensation laws don’t specifically accept or deny it.

In many cases, it may come down to the insurance company that carries the insurance, and whether they will accept this form of treatment or not. Based on the benefits EMDR brings to the insurance company, specifically that it takes less time for a patient to go through it than therapy, there should be no reason not to, though this may not always be the case.

Even if the company has no issues with the type of treatment, injured workers may still face difficulties in getting their claim approved. PTSD is a very complex condition, and the worker’s comp golden rule is that a worker may only receive compensation if their injury or condition is a direct result of their work.

What Does That Mean?

It likely means you will have to prove legal causation. PTSD is a mental health disorder, and these types of conditions generally have multiple, complex causes, so an argument can be made that your work environment would not have been enough to lead to it.

Many American workers can come face to face with traumatic experiences at their job, which result in PTSD, such as:

• The death of a co-worker
• A violent accident
• Abuse, or discrimination at work

Speak With an Experienced Workers’ Comp Attorney

The insurance company is a big business with a goal to make money, not give out its money. So, of course, they will fight against difficult claims, like the ones where workers suffer from PTSD. Don’t give up! Speak with an experienced attorney today to ensure your legal rights are protected.