Workers' Compensation Injury Care in Illinois

You can choose your own doctor

Illinois gives injured workers a say in who treats them. In general, a worker may choose two physicians, and any provider those physicians refer the worker to is covered within the same choice. Emergency care does not count as one of the two.

Some employers use a Preferred Provider Program. If your employer has one and you decide to treat outside it, that decision counts as one of your two choices. If you are not sure whether your employer has a program, it is a fair question to ask your employer in writing.

Who pays for work injury care

When you tell a provider that your treatment is for a work injury, Illinois law directs the provider to bill the employer directly. For a covered injury, the provider may not bill you for the difference between its charge and what the employer or its insurer paid.

If a claim is on file with the Illinois Workers' Compensation Commission, the provider must stop trying to collect from you while the claim is pending. Once the claim ends in an award or settlement, a provider may resume collecting any bills that remain unpaid, so it helps to keep every bill and letter you receive.

How IPIC helps

One call starts the process. A coordinator takes down what happened, where you work and what hurts, then schedules you with a licensed provider for the kind of care your injury calls for. IPIC keeps your appointments organized and helps make sure visit records and work status notes reach the people who need them.

IPIC schedules chiropractic care, physical therapy, pain management and imaging. The providers deliver the treatment and make every clinical decision.

Work injuries we schedule care for

• Back and neck injuries from lifting, falls and vehicle crashes on the job
• Shoulder, knee, wrist and hand injuries
• Repetitive strain from the same motion day after day
• Pain that showed up days after an incident at work
• Injuries from construction, warehouse, delivery, restaurant and healthcare work

Common questions