USA - Insurance Check

[Issmortor]

I'm not sure if this would be the right forum/topic for this question, but from the options presented to me, it was either this of "Some for All."

Anyway, SWIM was in a major injury several months ago, (SWIY may or may not have read SWIM's post telling the story). Anyway, as SWIY may imagine, he's had to deal with a whole pissload of insurance claims and a bunch of other stuff that he is basically clueless about(well at least he's getting a crash course of it all).

A few days ago SWIM got a claim adjustment from his insurance, in the form of a check for $2,120. This check came along with a statment saying that one doctor bill was for $2420, that insurance would pay $2120, and he would be responsible for the remaining $300. SWIM understood this, as this is how most of his other claims came about. But the difference with this one was that instead of just paying the doc the $2120 directly, they gave him a check for the insurances coverage. So basically he could just deposit the check to his bank account, and then make a $2120 payment to this doctor.

SWIM's question is, could he deposit this check, call the doc and make a payment plan(like he's done with all this other doctors for the remaining charges), and agree to a $50 a month payment plan to cover it all. And use the check to help go toward a much needed car that he will almost exclusivly use to get to work and back.

Is this legal, because this check is made out to SWIM? so from what he understands, this check is HIS money, not the doctors money(at least not directly).

SWIM's not going to skimp out on the bill, he is going to pay it, over time. But this $2k check would be a Godsend as far as helping get a reliable car.

Thanks for any legal advice or recources on the situation.

[old hippie 56]

Deposit it and make arraignments with the doctor.