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[E206]Emergency Medical Treatment Act

by Jack B. Katz, Jac

If you have been injured at work in Pennsylvania, you do not have to treat with a company or designated doctor unless a list of medical providers is given to you by your employer or its insurance company, according to the Pennsylvania Workers' Compensation Act. Looking at it the opposite way, you must treat with a company doctor (or at least with a designated facility), only if your employer or its insurance copmany has provided you with a list of at least six healthcare providers. Of course, it's not easy to know if the least is correct. That's why you should contact attorney Jack B. Katz, former chair of the Philadelphia Bar Association Workers' Compensation Section, who will review the information you have received and provide legal advice.

If a proper list of six places was not provided at your workplace, then you are immediately free to treat with a physician of your own choosing -no matter what the employer tells you or hands you. If a proper list is provided, then you need to treat with at least one of these providers for 90 days from the first date of treatment. If a specialist is needed and one is not on the posted list, a injured worker may treat with a doctor of his own choosing. The employer will be responsible for the bill. (This includes chiropractor, if needed, and none is posted.)

What does this all really mean? If an employee fails to treat with a designated provider for the first 90 days, the employer does not have to pay for the medical treatment received during that time only - that is all that the above means! It does not mean that the claim itself will be denied or that you will not receive any weekly benefits. In other words, don't automatically believe what your employer or its insurance company says. They may not be telling you the truth, or may not be telling you the whole truth.

Since the company can have control of treatment for 90 days -you may want -at least once - to choose to be examined by a doctor in whom you have confidence and who will look after your best interest. This is true even if you have to pay for the treatment yourself. If not, after the 90 days, you won't have a doctor who can fully document and confirm your injury to the insurance company, let alone start to cure you! (You should always notify your employer of the name and address of your treating physician within 5 days of you initial treatment.)

After 90 days, you absolutely should treat with your own doctors. The employer is then entitled only to periodic examinations but not to have you treat with their doctors. (The employer's or insurance company's doctors are not being paid by you and may be under pressure to get you back to work before you are really ready.)

Finally, if surgery is prescribed by a company-designated doctor, employees may get a second opinion by a doctor of their choice -paid for by the employer.

This handy Pennsylvania workers' compensation law tip is provided by the Philadelphia workers' compensation law office of Attorney Jack B. Katz, Law Offices of Jack B. Katz, 1213 Vine Street Philadelphia, PA 19107, www.jackbkatz.com, Email jbk@jackbkatz.com.

Like anorexia, bulimia is an eating disorder that most often strikes young women. Theories about what causes the condition abound. An imbalance of serotonin levels, a perfectionist attitude, social pressures to be thin, fear of one's sexuality, and mental disturbances are all hypotheses for what causes bulimia.

Because a bulimic's weight is often normal or near-normal, and because binge-eating and purging are often done in secret, bulimia is difficult to diagnose. Families should look for the regular disappearance of large amounts of food from the house (unless the bulimic purchases her own), food wrappers and containers hidden in her bedroom, scrapes over the knuckles-particularly the second and third fingers-caused by induced vomiting, and a change in the color of tooth enamel caused by the corrosive stomach acid. Laxatives or diuretic packages and frequent, excessive exercise workouts are also warning signs.

Signs and Symptoms

Periodic bingeing (eating large amounts of food within a given period of time) followed by purging (self-induced vomiting)

Concern with weight and figure, though most bulimics remain in the normal weight range for their height

Teeth scrapes on the knuckles of fingers from induced vomiting

Discolored teeth or cavities from enamel erosion caused by stomach acid that is vomited up

Periods of exercise after bingeing

Overuse of laxatives and/or diuretics

Feelings of shame or low self-worth following a binge

Depression

Effects of bulimia

Bulimia causes serious physical and emotional effects. Some of the major effects of bulimia include an imbalance in electrolytes; problems with teeth, gums, and lips; depression; low self-esteem; and damaged family and social relationships.

Conventional Medical Treatment

Though bulimics are less likely than anorexics to waste away to nothing, they are at risk for a variety of serious health problems, including life threatening dehydration, potassium depletion, cardiac arrhythmia, and tooth decay. Thus, if you suspect the condition in yourself or a loved one, it is important to visit a physician.

After performing a thorough physical examination to assess your overall health, the physician asks about your medical history and interviews you about your attitudes toward food and weight. If a diagnosis of bulimia is made, your physician may suggest a psychotherapist and/or a nutritionist to help you overcome the problem. You also may be referred to a self-help therapy group for people who are fighting bulimia. Relapses are common, though bulimia can be overcome with long-term psychotherapy.

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Both Jack B. Katz & Richard Bean are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.

Jack B. Katz has sinced written about articles on various topics from Legal Matters, Compensation Claims. Philadelphia workers compensation attorney Jack B. Katz, and the have been representing injured workers for more than two decades. Jack Katz co. Jack B. Katz's top article generates over 1300 views. to your Favourites.

Richard Bean has sinced written about articles on various topics from Types of Cancer, Hair Removal and Medicine. Read out for . Check out. Richard Bean's top article generates over 49500 views. to your Favourites.