If my workers' compensation claim is under a Texas Workers' Compensation Certified Healthcare Network, does the adjuster choose my doctor instead of me?

If my workers' compensation claim is under a Texas Workers' Compensation Certified Healthcare Network, does the adjuster choose my doctor instead of me?

Texas workers' compensation law allows an employer to choose whether or not to purchase an insurance policy requiring injured employees to receive medical care for injuries solely within the network of physicians arranged by the insurance.

Usually, the employee will first go to an employer's preferred "company doctor." This is not a requirement under the law.

Under the law, the adjuster does not have the right to override an employee's selection of doctor.

An employee, even after being sent to the company doctor in a network, has the right to select his own physician. According to Texas Insurance Code Sec.1305.104(b):

An employee who is dissatisfied with the initial choice of a treating doctor is entitled to select an alternate treating doctor from the network's list of treating doctors who provide services within the service area in which the injured employee lives by notifying the network in the manner prescribed by the network. The network may not deny a selection of an alternate treating doctor.