Updated 7/24/2026
When you’re injured on the job, one of the most valuable benefits available through Workers’ Compensation is medical care. Unlike many other types of insurance, Workers’ Compensation is designed to provide the treatment you need to recover from your injury, restore your health, and help you return to work and regain your earning capacity. Here are a few key takeaways:
- Colorado Workers’ Comp pays 100% of reasonable medical care; no deductibles, co-pays, or caps.
- You must select from your employer’s designated provider list unless it’s an emergency or your employer failed to provide a list.
- You have 4 legal pathways in Colorado to switch your treating physician if you’re unhappy with your care.
Watch: What They Don’t Tell You About Workers’ Comp Medical Benefits
In this 5-minute breakdown, workers’ compensation attorney Britton Morrell explains why medical coverage is your most valuable benefit, how authorized treating doctors work, and what steps to take if you need to switch physicians.
[00:21] Why medical benefits are 100% covered with $0 deductibles or caps
[01:09] What happens when your employer gives you a list of doctors
[01:50] Your rights if your employer fails to provide a doctor list
[03:23] 4 legal ways to change your treating doctor in Colorado
Medical Benefits Under Colorado Workers’ Compensation Insurance
One of the greatest advantages of Colorado Workers’ Compensation insurance is its medical benefits. Unlike many other types of insurance, there are no co-pays or deductibles. The workers’ compensation insurance carrier is responsible for paying 100% of the cost of all reasonable and necessary medical treatment related to your work injury.
In addition, there are no lifetime limits, per-accident limits, or per-condition limits on covered medical care. As long as the treatment is considered reasonable, necessary, and related to your workplace injury, the insurance company is obligated to provide coverage.
Because your medical treatment plays such a critical role in your recovery, it is equally important to receive care from a treating physician you trust and feel comfortable with. Your authorized treating doctor will make important decisions about your diagnosis, treatment plan, work restrictions, referrals to specialists, and ultimately when you are able to return to work. Having confidence in your doctor and feeling that your concerns are heard can make a significant difference throughout your recovery.
Workers’ Compensation benefits are not all paid at 100%. For example, wage replacement benefits typically cover only two-thirds of your lost wages rather than your full income. Medical benefits are different. They are the only Workers’ Compensation benefit paid in full, and they are specifically intended to restore your health, maximize your recovery, and help you return to the same level of function and earning capacity you had before your injury.
Furthermore, Workers’ Compensation only pays you a portion of what you lost. For example, lost wages are only 2/3, and they don’t pay 100%, but the medical benefit is the only benefit that’s paid 100%, and it’s also the only benefit that’s designed to get you back to the way you were before the injury.
How Do I Choose a Doctor for a Work Injury in Colorado?
If your injury is an emergency, go to the nearest ER or urgent care immediately.
When you get injured on the job and you give your employer notice, your employer is supposed to give you a list of doctors. If it’s an emergency, get to the emergency room, and after that the employer should give you the list of doctors, and you will have to choose between them.
Chances are those doctors have been selected by the insurance company, and the one you choose will be the authorized treating doctor. If the employer doesn’t tell you to go to a doctor or doesn’t give you a list, you have the right to select your own doctor, which you should do. Also, call an attorney because the insurance company will try to fight you on this; it’s important that you get a treating doctor that you feel comfortable with.
Lastly, the authorized doctor can send you to other doctors, and those doctors are also authorized. That’s important because the insurance company only has to pay the bills of doctors who are authorized. If you go out and choose your own doctor, the insurance company won’t have to pay for it.
Did your employer refuse to give you a doctor list? You may have the right to choose your own physician. Talk to our team for free.
How Can I Change My Doctor?
There are several ways for you to change your treating physician if you’re dissatisfied with the care.
Option 1: 20-Day Written Request – Submit a formal written request to the insurance carrier. If they don’t send a written denial within 20 days, the change is automatically granted by law.
Option 2: 90-Day Switch – Select the second doctor from your employer’s original designated list within 90 days of the injury date.
Option 3: Judicial Motion for Cause – Request a hearing before an Administrative Law Judge (ALJ) if you can demonstrate inadequate care.
Option 4: Division Independent Medical Exam (DIME) – Request a formal second opinion if you dispute MMI (Maximum Medical Improvement) or your impairment rating.
Need Help Securing Your Colorado Workers’ Comp Medical Coverage?
Medical care under Colorado Workers’ Compensation is designed to get you back to 100%, but insurance company rules often get in the way. Kaplan Morrell serves clients statewide across Colorado through virtual consultations and local offices in Denver, Greeley, and Loveland; ensuring your rights are protected wherever you live.
Call or text us today for a free, confidential consultation at 970-356-9898.
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