A problem that I see EVERY DAY is often fighters and promoters do not know the steps to getting bills paid and the proper medical attention if an injury occurs during an event.
The rules will be a little different from state to state. Example, not all states require a promoter purchases medical / accidental death insurance on the fighters. Also, depending on the state the deductible can be between $250 and $5,000. Also, depending on the state they fighter may be the one responsible for paying the deductible. If you are in that a state where the fighter is required to pay the deductible try to count on it being the $5,000 deductible because it is the cheapest. That being said, many promoters get the lowest deductible they can so the fighters do not have to pay as much, those promoter can often pay hundreds more but those are the ones that care and to them I salute you.
So you have had a bout, you were injured and you need medical attention, here are the steps to take to make sure that you get the care needed and you do not end up with medical bills on your credit report.
1) Get a SINGED AND COMPLETED claims form from the promoter. It must have the policy number on it form or it does you no good.
2) Make sure that on the description it is filled out as detailed as possible. If you hurt your right hand then on the paperwork MUST say "During MMA bout, trauma was sustained to right hand, possible broke." If it was your left foot it must say “During MMA bout, LEFT foot was injured possibly broke." Any injury you have must be written out like that. If you have a cut over your right eye that needs stitches it must read “During MMA bout, laceration over right eye occurred, stitches possibly needed." You must be as detailed with every injury as possible or it will get denied and you have to do it all over again which can become a long process.
3) While at the hospital get copies of every piece of paperwork you can. Send them in to the claims company that night. The claims company is a different company then the carrier FYI, the claims companies information will be on the paperwork you were given. Fax it to them THAT NIGHT FROM THE HOSPITAL. yes you could wait and do it the next day, but if you do it then with the medical providers cover sheet if they have any billing questions they are more likely to call them then they are to call you and ask for you to call them.
4) Once you send in the paperwork you are not done. You will get bills in the mail. This is a secondary medical / life insurance policy (except in Nevada) so you are billed directly by the medical provider. The claims company then backs up and pays the bills for you. After the hospital visit you will receive more bills, fax or scan and email them in ASAP with the original claims sheet or they will NOT get paid and they will hit your credit report. If they do hit your credit report you can have it removed once it is paid, but at that point the damage is done.
5) Call every other day until things are paid. It can take 2 weeks after sending in the claims form and bills for them to actually enter the system. Call them, make sure everything is correct, and don’t trust the promoter to do it because they know as much about this process as you do. Once your bills are paid, there is still a deductible left. You or the promoter depending on your state regulations must one pay it. That gets paid directly to the medical provider, not to the carrier or the claims company.
6) Congrats, you have now completed your insurance paperwork with no issues and no bills on your credit.
Keep in mind, if you have personal medical insurance then that is a primary coverage and must pay first according to law. If anything is left that your primary coverage did not pay then this policy will pick it up for you.
I know this is a lot, but too often people are calling me asking if I can help because 2 years ago they were injured in a bout and the bills were never paid and now they can’t buy a house, car or whatever because they have thousands on their credit report unpaid.
I just want to let people know the process and how to correctly navigate it with no issues since I often see people who wish they had this info. 
Ttt. Vtfu when I can.
Now that is a post with substance.
Great stuff here. Vtfu 
Well said, voted up. Everyone should read this before they fight.
It will help if the ringside MD fills out the injury description so that the description is in proper medical terms, and is the same as the description that the ringside MD puts on the post fight physical form they fill out for the AC (if your state requires one). This also helps create a paper trail to a physician who treated you at the time of the injury and likely did your pre-fight physical in case you have to fight the insurance company to get them to cover your injury
Best post of the century
I'm bumping this daily, maybe you should have mentioned Miesha Tates ass in the thread title...
ttt
VTFU
Bump
subbed. good info for my opponents
Late night bump
Daily bump
Excellent
Fyi, these are the same steps to get your bills took care of if you are hurt while at the gym. Contrary to what a lot of gym owners think there will not be a rise in premium for a few injury claims on their policy unless you have just a crap policy or there are MANY claims in a year. So if you are in the gym and get injured bad and dont have medical, as long as your coach has a MMA gym policy then you can get medical attention.
The average MMA fighter has a lot more insurance on them then what most realize.
I work in insurance, but don't do claims or medical/accident, so this is interesting to me.
Sub
Petey B - I work in insurance, but don't do claims or medical/accident, so this is interesting to me.
What a coincidence, so do I. Lol