Medical Payments Coverage for Seniors in Washington
Medical payments coverage pays medical bills for you and your passengers after a crash, no matter who caused it, and it's worth a close look if you're on Medicare.
Yes, and it fills a real gap Medicare leaves open
Medical payments coverage, often called MedPay, pays medical and sometimes funeral costs for you and anyone riding in your car after an accident. It pays regardless of fault, and it pays before any lawsuit or liability claim gets sorted out.
For a driver on Medicare, this matters because Medicare doesn't always cover everything after a car accident right away, and it can take time to sort out who pays first. MedPay can cover deductibles, copays, or costs Medicare doesn't touch, and it pays out quickly since there's no fault to argue about.
What Medicare does and doesn't cover after a crash
Medicare covers medical treatment regardless of how you got hurt, but it doesn't cover everything a car accident can bring. Copays, deductibles, and services Medicare limits or excludes are still your responsibility.
MedPay steps in for those gaps. If you're hospitalized after a crash, MedPay can cover the portion Medicare doesn't, and it does so without you having to prove the other driver was at fault.
There's also a timing issue. Medicare sometimes acts as a secondary payer when another insurance policy, including your own car insurance, is supposed to pay first. MedPay can cover costs while that gets sorted out, so you're not paying out of pocket in the meantime.
If you're not sure how Medicare and MedPay would interact in your specific situation, ask your insurer how claims get coordinated between the two.
Washington requires a similar coverage unless you turn it down in writing
Washington law requires insurers to offer personal injury protection, known as PIP, which works much like MedPay but usually covers more, including lost wages. You have to reject PIP in writing if you don't want it, and many drivers don't realize they've done this.
If you've rejected PIP, MedPay is worth adding back, since it covers medical costs the same way PIP would, even though it won't include lost wage coverage.
If you still have PIP, adding MedPay on top usually doesn't make sense since the coverage overlaps. Check your policy declarations page to see whether you have PIP, MedPay, or neither, since the paperwork isn't always clear on its own.
Your insurer can tell you exactly what's on your policy now and what adding or dropping either coverage would mean for your situation.
Questions people ask about this
Does MedPay cover passengers in my car who aren't family members?
Yes, MedPay generally covers anyone riding in your car at the time of the accident, not just you and your family. The coverage follows the vehicle, which is part of why it pays out quickly regardless of fault.
Will MedPay cover me if I'm hit while walking or riding a bike?
Often yes, since MedPay is tied to you as a named driver on the policy, not just to incidents inside your car. Check your policy wording or ask your insurer, since this detail varies by company.
Can I use MedPay and still sue the other driver?
Yes, MedPay doesn't require you to give up your right to pursue a claim against an at-fault driver. It pays first, quickly, and any separate liability claim is handled on its own timeline.
Does having Medicare mean I don't need MedPay at all?
Not necessarily, since Medicare doesn't cover every cost that comes with a car accident, and timing between the two can be complicated. Ask your insurer how MedPay and Medicare would coordinate before deciding to drop MedPay.
What happens to unused MedPay coverage if I don't get hurt in an accident?
Nothing, it simply isn't used, the same as liability coverage you don't end up needing. MedPay isn't a savings account or a benefit that carries forward.
See what adding or adjusting MedPay would cost on your policy before you decide.
Pull out your current policy's declarations page and look for PIP or MedPay listed as a coverage. If you see neither, call your insurer and ask whether you rejected PIP in writing at some point, since that affects what you should add back. Have your Medicare card and any recent medical bills from a past accident handy if you want a concrete sense of what gaps you've faced before. Ask your insurer directly how MedPay would interact with Medicare if you were hospitalized after a crash. If you're comparing quotes from a few insurers, ask each one the same questions so you can see the coverage side by side rather than just the price.
