Which might render the patient permanently paralyzed from the neck down, I ordered an MRI of the neck and upper spine.
After weeks of physical rehabilitation, the worker’s compensation adjuster rejected the MRI. We didn’t know how severe his spine was, so I was worried the PT may paralyze him.
By conferring with the MD I worked for and the PT team, I was forced to practically squander PT time by only doing safe, mild treatment.
He ultimately developed a large disc hernia in his neck, which required surgery to fix or else he ran the danger of being paralyzed from the neck down. Denials of worker’s compensation are severe and widespread.
13. The physical therapist assistant whose patient’s insurance refused to pay for physical therapy despite the fact that she was unable to lift her arm over her head:
assistant to a physical therapist. A patient who underwent shoulder manipulation under anesthesia to relieve a frozen shoulder had their insurance denied only last week.
