For a Fort Wayne or Allen County worker, “no more visits” can leave important questions unanswered. This guide focuses on a specific problem: planned physical therapy that is denied, delayed, or cut short. It does not promise a particular number of visits or that the Board will order more care.
Key takeaways
- Identify who canceled the visits and ask for the written reason.
- Compare the current physician’s order with the cancellation notice.
- Keep dated copies of the order, appointment log, and correspondence.
- Ask which Board process fits the actual dispute before submitting forms.
What Indiana law says about necessary care
Under Indiana Code 22-3-3-4(a)[1], after an injury and before an adjudication of permanent impairment, the employer must furnish an attending physician free of charge, along with services and products the attending physician or the Worker’s Compensation Board considers necessary.
During temporary total disability resulting from the injury, subsection (b) requires the employer to furnish the physician, services, and products; on a proper application, the Board may require care it considers reasonably necessary.
The Board’s employee guidance[2] states that the employer directs medical care in Indiana and that a worker who considers the care inadequate may file an Application for Adjustment of Claim.
For the separate provider-selection question, read who chooses the doctor in an Indiana workers’ compensation claim. The broader workers’ compensation guide explains the firm’s work with injured Indiana employees.
The Board’s nurse case manager guidelines[3] distinguish coordination from medical decision-making: a nurse case manager may help facilitate care ordered by the treating physician, but does not determine compensability, administer benefits, direct treatment, or provide medical opinions about the appropriate course of care.
Practical takeaway: Ask for the physician’s current position rather than relying only on a message passed along by someone else. Compare the dated documents before deciding what to challenge.
Questions to ask when visits are canceled
The following are organizing prompts, not legal findings about why your appointments stopped. Use the row that matches what you were told and leave room for an explanation you have not yet received.
| Message received | Question to ask | Document to request |
|---|---|---|
| “No more visits are authorized.” | Is there a new physician’s order, an unanswered request, or a written refusal? | Current order and authorization correspondence |
| “The doctor discharged you.” | What does the signed visit note actually say? | Physician’s note and discharge instructions |
| “Appointments were missed.” | Which dates are listed, and do the messages show cancellations or rescheduling? | Appointment log and dated messages |
| “The case manager canceled them.” | Was the message relaying the physician’s decision or someone else’s decision? | Written cancellation and current order |
Example, not a case result: Your calendar lists two remaining appointments, but a phone message says the request is pending. Start by comparing that message with the written order and asking who needs to respond. Do not assume that the calendar alone answers whether the appointments are approved.
A practical response checklist
These are preparation suggestions, not a Board-mandated checklist:
- Ask for the explanation in writing. Record the name, role, date, and stated reason.
- Contact the physician’s office. Is the existing order still current, and has the office responded to the request?
- Organize the file. Put the order, progress notes, appointment history, cancellations, and correspondence in date order.
- Send a focused question to the adjuster. Which visits remain approved, what is outstanding, and who will respond?
- Keep copies. Save what you sent and the response; mark unanswered questions rather than guessing.
For a wider organizing tool, see our injured-worker recordkeeping checklist.
How to raise the issue with the Board
The Board lists premature termination of medical benefits among the issues handled through its informal dispute process[4]. Filing a completed Request for Assistance, State Form 45442, starts an inquiry by a case coordinator to try to resolve the matter.
The Board explains that if the informal response is unfavorable and the requesting party wishes to appeal it, the legal remedy is the formal hearing process.
The official forms page[5] lists the Request for Assistance (45442) and the Application for Adjustment of Claim (29109) separately.
Practical next step: Ask the Board or an attorney which form fits your situation and whether anything must be filed promptly. Bring every notice you received. Our Request for Assistance guide focuses on that informal form; our claim-denial guide addresses a broader denial.
The Board’s informal-disputes page also describes an independent-medical-examination process associated with proposed termination of temporary total disability benefits. That wage-benefit procedure is distinct from the page’s general Request for Assistance process.
Which notice did you receive: one about appointments, wage checks, or both?
Before arranging or paying for care yourself
Under Indiana Code 22-3-3-4(d)[1], during temporary total disability, care from another physician or necessary and proper services may be paid by the employer when obtained because of an emergency, the employer’s failure to provide required care, or another good reason. The reasonable cost remains subject to the Board’s approval.
Care after an impairment agreement or award has a separate provision: subsection (c) allows the Board, on a proper application within the statutory review period, to require services it considers necessary to limit or reduce the impairment.
Practical caution: Before committing to a large bill, ask an attorney how these provisions apply to your situation. Keep the order, written requests, invoices, and receipts. Is the provider approved, and who has agreed to pay the bill?
For emergency medical care, subsection (e) prohibits the employer or carrier from delaying care that the attending health care facility physician considers necessary in that physician’s professional judgment.
Frequently asked questions
Does an adjuster’s refusal settle whether more therapy is necessary?
Indiana Code 22-3-3-4[6](a) identifies the attending physician or the Board as determining necessary services before adjudication of permanent impairment.
The Board’s informal process includes disputes over prematurely terminated medical benefits.
Can a nurse case manager decide my course of therapy?
The Board’s guidance says a nurse case manager may facilitate physician-ordered care but does not direct treatment or provide medical opinions about the appropriate course of care.
Is a Request for Assistance the same as a formal claim application?
No. The Board lists Request for Assistance (45442) and Application for Adjustment of Claim (29109) as separate forms.
Its informal-disputes guidance describes the Request for Assistance as starting an administrative inquiry.
What should I bring to a consultation?
As a practical starting point, bring the current order, progress notes, appointment log, written explanation, bills, and correspondence. Make a short list of unanswered questions.
Getting help with interrupted therapy
If you are unsure what a cancellation means, Delventhal Law Office can review your documents and discuss possible next steps. You can request a free case evaluation or call 260-484-6655.
This article is general information about Indiana law and is not legal advice. Reading it does not create an attorney-client relationship, and neither does contacting us.
