Bill Text: CT SB00061 | 2010 | General Assembly | Introduced
Bill Title: An Act Removing The Requirement Of Employer Or Insurer Preapproval For The Provision Of Certain Medical Examinations And Treatment To Injured Workers.
Spectrum: Bipartisan Bill
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2010-04-14 - Favorable Report, Tabled for the Calendar, Senate [SB00061 Detail]
Download: Connecticut-2010-SB00061-Introduced.html
General Assembly |
Raised Bill No. 61 | ||
February Session, 2010 |
LCO No. 218 | ||
*00218_______LAB* | |||
Referred to Committee on Labor and Public Employees |
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Introduced by: |
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(LAB) |
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AN ACT REMOVING THE REQUIREMENT OF EMPLOYER OR INSURER PREAPPROVAL FOR THE PROVISION OF CERTAIN MEDICAL EXAMINATIONS AND TREATMENT TO INJURED WORKERS.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Assembly convened:
Section 1. Section 31-275 of the general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective October 1, 2010):
As used in this chapter, unless the context otherwise provides:
(1) "Arising out of and in the course of his employment" means an accidental injury happening to an employee or an occupational disease of an employee originating while the employee has been engaged in the line of the employee's duty in the business or affairs of the employer upon the employer's premises, or while engaged elsewhere upon the employer's business or affairs by the direction, express or implied, of the employer, provided:
(A) (i) For a police officer or firefighter, "in the course of his employment" encompasses such individual's departure from such individual's place of abode to duty, such individual's duty, and the return to such individual's place of abode after duty;
(ii) For an employee of the Department of Correction, (I) when responding to a direct order to appear at his or her work assignment under circumstances in which nonessential employees are excused from working, or (II) following two or more mandatory overtime work shifts on consecutive days, "in the course of his employment" encompasses such individual's departure from such individual's place of abode directly to duty, such individual's duty, and the return directly to such individual's place of abode after duty;
(iii) Notwithstanding the provisions of clauses (i) and (ii) of this subparagraph, the dependents of any deceased employee of the Department of Correction who was injured in the course of his employment, as defined in this subparagraph, on or after July 1, 2000, and who died not later than July 15, 2000, shall be paid compensation on account of the death, in accordance with the provisions of section 31-306, retroactively to the date of the employee's death. The cost of the payment shall be paid by the employer or its insurance carrier which shall be reimbursed for such cost from the Second Injury Fund as provided in section 31-354 upon presentation of any vouchers and information that the Treasurer may require;
(B) A personal injury shall not be deemed to arise out of the employment unless causally traceable to the employment other than through weakened resistance or lowered vitality;
(C) In the case of an accidental injury, a disability or a death due to the use of alcohol or narcotic drugs shall not be construed to be a compensable injury;
(D) For aggravation of a preexisting disease, compensation shall be allowed only for that proportion of the disability or death due to the aggravation of the preexisting disease as may be reasonably attributed to the injury upon which the claim is based;
(E) A personal injury shall not be deemed to arise out of the employment if the injury is sustained: (i) At the employee's place of abode, and (ii) while the employee is engaged in a preliminary act or acts in preparation for work unless such act or acts are undertaken at the express direction or request of the employer;
(F) For purposes of subparagraph (C) of this subdivision, "narcotic drugs" means all controlled substances, as designated by the Commissioner of Consumer Protection pursuant to subsection (c) of section 21a-243, but does not include drugs prescribed in the course of medical treatment or in a program of research operated under the direction of a physician or pharmacologist. For purposes of subparagraph (E) of this subdivision, "place of abode" includes the inside of the residential structure, the garage, the common hallways, stairways, driveways, walkways and the yard;
(G) The Workers' Compensation Commission shall adopt regulations, in accordance with the provisions of chapter 54, to implement the provisions of this section and shall define the terms "a preliminary act", "acts in preparation for work", "departure from place of abode directly to duty" and "return directly to place of abode after duty" on or before January 1, 2006.
(2) "Commission" means the Workers' Compensation Commission.
(3) "Commissioner" means the compensation commissioner who has jurisdiction in the matter referred to in the context.
(4) "Compensation" means benefits or payments mandated by the provisions of this chapter, including, but not limited to, indemnity, medical and surgical aid or hospital and nursing service required under section 31-294d, as amended by this act, and any type of payment for disability, whether for total or partial disability of a permanent or temporary nature, death benefit, funeral expense, payments made under the provisions of section 31-284b, 31-293a or 31-310, or any adjustment in benefits or payments required by this chapter.
(5) "Date of the injury" means, for an occupational disease, the date of total or partial incapacity to work as a result of such disease.
(6) "Dependent" means a member of the injured employee's family or next of kin who was wholly or partly dependent upon the earnings of the employee at the time of the injury.
(7) "Dependent in fact" means a person determined to be a dependent of an injured employee, in any case where there is no presumptive dependent, in accordance with the facts existing at the date of the injury.
(8) "Disfigurement" means impairment of or injury to the beauty, symmetry or appearance of a person that renders the person unsightly, misshapen or imperfect, or deforms the person in some manner, or otherwise causes a detrimental change in the external form of the person.
(9) (A) "Employee" means any person who:
(i) Has entered into or works under any contract of service or apprenticeship with an employer, whether the contract contemplated the performance of duties within or without the state;
(ii) Is a sole proprietor or business partner who accepts the provisions of this chapter in accordance with subdivision (10) of this section;
(iii) Is elected to serve as a member of the General Assembly of this state;
(iv) Is a salaried officer or paid member of any police department or fire department;
(v) Is a volunteer police officer, whether the officer is designated as special or auxiliary, upon vote of the legislative body of the town, city or borough in which the officer serves;
(vi) Is an elected or appointed official or agent of any town, city or borough in the state, upon vote of the proper authority of the town, city or borough, including the elected or appointed official or agent, irrespective of the manner in which he or she is appointed or employed. Nothing in this subdivision shall be construed as affecting any existing rights as to pensions which such persons or their dependents had on July 1, 1927, or as preventing any existing custom of paying the full salary of any such person during disability due to injury arising out of and in the course of his or her employment; or
(vii) Is an officer or enlisted person of the National Guard or other armed forces of the state called to active duty by the Governor while performing his or her active duty service.
(B) "Employee" shall not be construed to include:
(i) Any person to whom articles or material are given to be treated in any way on premises not under the control or management of the person who gave them out;
(ii) One whose employment is of a casual nature and who is employed otherwise than for the purposes of the employer's trade or business;
(iii) A member of the employer's family dwelling in his house; but, if, in any contract of insurance, the wages or salary of a member of the employer's family dwelling in his house is included in the payroll on which the premium is based, then that person shall, if he sustains an injury arising out of and in the course of his employment, be deemed an employee and compensated in accordance with the provisions of this chapter;
(iv) Any person engaged in any type of service in or about a private dwelling provided he is not regularly employed by the owner or occupier over twenty-six hours per week;
(v) An employee of a corporation who is a corporate officer and who elects to be excluded from coverage under this chapter by notice in writing to his employer and to the commissioner; or
(vi) Any person who is not a resident of this state but is injured in this state during the course of his employment, unless such person (I) works for an employer who has a place of employment or a business facility located in this state at which such person spends at least fifty per cent of his employment time, or (II) works for an employer pursuant to an employment contract to be performed primarily in this state.
(10) "Employer" means any person, corporation, limited liability company, firm, partnership, voluntary association, joint stock association, the state and any public corporation within the state using the services of one or more employees for pay, or the legal representative of any such employer, but all contracts of employment between an employer employing persons excluded from the definition of employee and any such employee shall be conclusively presumed to include the following mutual agreements between employer and employee: (A) That the employer may accept and become bound by the provisions of this chapter by immediately complying with section 31-284; (B) that, if the employer accepts the provisions of this chapter, the employee shall then be deemed to accept and be bound by such provisions unless the employer neglects or refuses to furnish immediately to the employee, on his written request, evidence of compliance with section 31-284 in the form of a certificate from the commissioner, the Insurance Commissioner or the insurer, as the case may be; (C) that the employee may, at any time, withdraw his acceptance of, and become released from, the provisions of this chapter by giving written or printed notice of his withdrawal to the commissioner and to the employer, and the withdrawal shall take effect immediately from the time of its service on the commissioner and the employer; and (D) that the employer may withdraw his acceptance and the acceptance of the employee by filing a written or printed notice of his withdrawal with the commissioner and with the employee, and the withdrawal shall take effect immediately from the time of its service on the commissioner and the employee. The notices of acceptance and withdrawal to be given by an employer employing persons excluded from the definition of employee and the notice of withdrawal to be given by the employee, as provided in this subdivision, shall be served upon the commissioner, employer or employee, either by personal presentation or by registered or certified mail. In determining the number of employees employed by an individual, the employees of a partnership of which he is a member shall not be included. A person who is the sole proprietor of a business may accept the provisions of this chapter by notifying the commissioner, in writing, of his intent to do so. If such person accepts the provisions of this chapter he shall be considered to be an employer and shall insure his full liability in accordance with subdivision (2) of subsection (b) of section 31-284. Such person may withdraw his acceptance by giving notice of his withdrawal, in writing, to the commissioner. Any person who is a partner in a business shall be deemed to have accepted the provisions of this chapter and shall insure his full liability in accordance with subdivision (2) of subsection (b) of section 31-284, unless the partnership elects to be excluded from the provisions of this chapter by notice, in writing and by signed agreement of each partner, to the commissioner.
(11) "Full-time student" means any student enrolled for at least seventy-five per cent of a full-time student load at a postsecondary educational institution which has been approved by a state-recognized or federally-recognized accrediting agency or body. "Full-time student load" means the number of credit hours, quarter credits or academic units required for a degree from such institution, divided by the number of academic terms needed to complete the degree.
(12) "Medical and surgical aid or hospital and nursing service", when requested by an injured employee and approved by the commissioner, includes treatment by prayer or spiritual means through the application or use of the principles, tenets or teachings of any established church without the use of any drug or material remedy, provided sanitary and quarantine regulations are complied with, and provided all those ministering to the injured employee are bona fide members of such church.
(13) "Member" includes all parts of the human body referred to in subsection (b) of section 31-308.
(14) "Nursing" means the practice of nursing as defined in subsection (a) of section 20-87a, and "nurse" means a person engaged in such practice.
(15) "Occupational disease" includes any disease peculiar to the occupation in which the employee was engaged and due to causes in excess of the ordinary hazards of employment as such, and includes any disease due to or attributable to exposure to or contact with any radioactive material by an employee in the course of his employment.
(16) (A) "Personal injury" or "injury" includes, in addition to accidental injury that may be definitely located as to the time when and the place where the accident occurred, an injury to an employee that is causally connected with the employee's employment and is the direct result of repetitive trauma or repetitive acts incident to such employment, and occupational disease.
(B) "Personal injury" or "injury" shall not be construed to include:
(i) An injury to an employee that results from the employee's voluntary participation in any activity the major purpose of which is social or recreational, including, but not limited to, athletic events, parties and picnics, whether or not the employer pays some or all of the cost of such activity;
(ii) A mental or emotional impairment, unless such impairment arises (I) from a physical injury or occupational disease, or (II) in the case of a police officer, from such police officer's use of deadly force or subjection to deadly force in the line of duty, regardless of whether such police officer is physically injured, provided such police officer is the subject of an attempt by another person to cause such police officer serious physical injury or death through the use of deadly force, and such police officer reasonably believes such police officer to be the subject of such an attempt. As used in this clause, "police officer" means a member of the Division of State Police within the Department of Public Safety, an organized local police department or a municipal constabulary, and "in the line of duty" means any action that a police officer is obligated or authorized by law, rule, regulation or written condition of employment service to perform, or for which the police officer is compensated by the public entity such officer serves;
(iii) A mental or emotional impairment that results from a personnel action, including, but not limited to, a transfer, promotion, demotion or termination; or
(iv) Notwithstanding the provisions of subparagraph (B)(i) of this subdivision, "personal injury" or "injury" includes injuries to employees of local or regional boards of education resulting from participation in a school-sponsored activity but does not include any injury incurred while going to or from such activity. As used in this clause, "school-sponsored activity" means any activity sponsored, recognized or authorized by a board of education and includes activities conducted on or off school property and "participation" means acting as a chaperone, advisor, supervisor or instructor at the request of an administrator with supervisory authority over the employee.
(17) "Physician" includes any person licensed and authorized to practice a healing art, as defined in section 20-1, and licensed under the provisions of chapters 370, 372 and 373 to practice in this state.
(18) "Podiatrist" means any practitioner of podiatry, as defined in section 20-50, and duly licensed under the provisions of chapter 375 to practice in this state.
(19) "Presumptive dependents" means the following persons who are conclusively presumed to be wholly dependent for support upon a deceased employee: (A) A wife upon a husband with whom she lives at the time of his injury or from whom she receives support regularly; (B) a husband upon a wife with whom he lives at the time of her injury or from whom he receives support regularly; (C) any child under the age of eighteen, or over the age of eighteen but physically or mentally incapacitated from earning, upon the parent with whom he is living or from whom he is receiving support regularly, at the time of the injury of the parent; (D) any unmarried child who has attained the age of eighteen but has not attained the age of twenty-two and who is a full-time student, upon the parent with whom he is living or from whom he is receiving support regularly, provided, any child who has attained the age of twenty-two while a full-time student but has not completed the requirements for, or received, a degree from a postsecondary educational institution shall be deemed not to have attained the age of twenty-two until the first day of the first month following the end of the quarter or semester in which he is enrolled at the time, or if he is not enrolled in a quarter or semester system, until the first day of the first month following the completion of the course in which he is enrolled or until the first day of the third month beginning after such time, whichever occurs first.
(20) "Previous disability" means an employee's preexisting condition caused by the total or partial loss of, or loss of use of, one hand, one arm, one foot or one eye resulting from accidental injury, disease or congenital causes, or other permanent physical impairment.
(21) "Routine examination or treatment" includes, but is not limited to, prescription drugs, diagnostic tests, physical therapy or evaluation recommended by an approved physician or surgeon.
[(21)] (22) "Scar" means the mark left on the skin after the healing of a wound or sore, or any mark, damage or lasting effect resulting from past injury.
[(22)] (23) "Second disability" means a disability arising out of a second injury.
[(23)] (24) "Second injury" means an injury, incurred by accident, repetitive trauma, repetitive acts or disease arising out of and in the course of employment, to an employee with a previous disability.
Sec. 2. Section 31-279 of the general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective October 1, 2010):
(a) The chairman of the Workers' Compensation Commission shall adopt regulations, in accordance with the provisions of chapter 54, specifying the minimum information to be contained in a notice of the availability of compensation which shall be posted in the workplace by each employer subject to the provisions of this chapter pursuant to subsection (f) of section 31-284.
(b) The chairman of the Workers' Compensation Commission shall, not later than July 1, 1991, adopt regulations, in accordance with chapter 54, to create a uniform system to be used by medical professionals in determining the degree of physical impairment of persons receiving compensation under this chapter.
(c) (1) Any employer or any insurer acting on behalf of an employer, may establish a plan, subject to the approval of the chairman of the Workers' Compensation Commission under subsection (d) of this section, for the provision of medical care that the employer provides for treatment of any injury or illness under this chapter. Each plan shall contain such information as the chairman shall require, including, but not limited to:
(A) A listing of all persons who will provide services under the plan, along with appropriate evidence that each person listed has met any licensing, certification or registration requirement necessary for the person to legally provide the service in this state;
(B) A listing of all pharmacies that will provide services under the plan, to which the employer, any insurer acting on behalf of the employer, or any other entity acting on behalf of the employer or insurer shall make direct payments for any prescription drug prescribed by a physician participating in the plan;
(C) A designation of the times, places and manners in which the services will be provided;
(D) A description of how the quality and quantity of medical care will be managed; and
(E) Such other provisions as the employer and the employees may agree to, subject to the approval of the chairman.
(2) The election by an employee covered by a plan established under this subsection to obtain medical care and treatment from a provider of medical services who is not listed in the plan shall suspend the employee's right to compensation, subject to the order of the commissioner.
(d) Each plan established under subsection (c) of this section shall be submitted to the chairman for his approval at least one hundred twenty days before the proposed effective date of the plan and each approved plan, along with any proposed changes therein, shall be resubmitted to the chairman every two years thereafter for reapproval. The chairman shall approve or disapprove such plans on the basis of standards established by the chairman in consultation with a medical advisory panel appointed by the chairman. Such standards shall include, but not be limited to: (1) The ability of the plan to provide all medical and health care services that may be required under this chapter in a manner that is timely, effective and convenient for the employees; (2) the inclusion in the plan of all categories of medical service and of an adequate number of providers of each type of medical service in accessible locations to ensure that employees are given an adequate choice of providers; (3) the provision in the plan for appropriate financial incentives to reduce service costs and utilization without a reduction in the quality of service; (4) the inclusion in the plan of fee screening, peer review, service utilization review and dispute resolution procedures designed to prevent inappropriate or excessive treatment; and (5) the inclusion in the plan of a procedure by which information on medical and health care service costs and utilization will be reported to the chairman in order for him to determine the effectiveness of the plan.
(e) Any person who serves as a member of the medical advisory panel, appointed by the chairman of the Workers' Compensation Commission pursuant to subsection (d) of this section, shall be deemed to be a state officer or employee for purposes of indemnification and defense under section 5-141d.
(f) The Workers' Compensation Commission shall have plenary authority for review of decisions with respect to the provision or denial of medical care under any plan approved by the chairperson under subsection (d) of this section and may determine whether such medical care is reasonable or necessary.
Sec. 3. Section 31-294d of the general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective October 1, 2010):
(a) (1) The employer, as soon as the employer has knowledge of an injury, shall provide a competent physician or surgeon to attend the injured employee and, in addition, shall furnish any medical and surgical aid or hospital and nursing service, including medical rehabilitation services and prescription drugs, as the physician or surgeon deems reasonable or necessary. The employer, any insurer acting on behalf of the employer, or any other entity acting on behalf of the employer or insurer shall be responsible for paying the cost of such prescription drugs directly to the provider.
(2) If the injured employee is a local or state police officer, state marshal, judicial marshal, correction officer, emergency medical technician, paramedic, ambulance driver, firefighter, or active member of a volunteer fire company or fire department engaged in volunteer duties, who has been exposed in the line of duty to blood or bodily fluids that may carry blood-borne disease, the medical and surgical aid or hospital and nursing service provided by the employer shall include any relevant diagnostic and prophylactic procedure for and treatment of any blood-borne disease.
(b) The employee shall select the physician or surgeon from an approved list of physicians and surgeons prepared by the chairman of the Workers' Compensation Commission. If the employee is unable to make the selection, the employer shall do so, subject to ratification by the employee or his next of kin. If the employer has a full-time staff physician or if a physician is available on call, the initial treatment required immediately following the injury may be rendered by that physician, but the employee may thereafter select his own physician as provided by this chapter for any further treatment without prior approval of the commissioner.
(c) The commissioner may, without hearing, at the request of the employer or the injured employee, when good reason exists, or on his own motion, authorize a routine examination or treatment or authorize or direct a change of physician or surgeon or hospital or nursing service provided pursuant to subsection (a) of this section.
(d) (1) The pecuniary liability of the employer for the medical and surgical service required by this section shall be limited to the charges that prevail in the same community or similar communities for similar treatment of injured persons of a like standard of living when the similar treatment is paid for by the injured person. The liability of the employer for hospital service shall be the amount it actually costs the hospital to render the service, as determined by the commissioner, except in the case of state humane institutions, the liability of the employer shall be the per capita cost as determined by the Comptroller under the provisions of section 17b-223. All disputes concerning liability for hospital services in workers' compensation cases shall be settled by the commissioner in accordance with this chapter.
(2) Whenever there is an agreement in regard to compensation pursuant to subsection (a) of section 31-296, as amended by this act, no preapproval by the employer, insurer or Second Injury Fund for a routine medical examination or medical treatment shall be required. The failure to preapprove a routine medical examination or treatment shall not be a defense to payment of the cost of such examination or treatment.
(e) If the employer fails to promptly provide a physician or surgeon or any medical and surgical aid or hospital and nursing service as required by this section, the injured employee may obtain a physician or surgeon, selected from the approved list prepared by the chairman, or such medical and surgical aid or hospital and nursing service at the expense of the employer.
Sec. 4. Section 31-296 of the general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective October 1, 2010):
(a) If an employer and an injured employee, or in case of fatal injury the employee's legal representative or dependent, at a date not earlier than the expiration of the waiting period, reach an agreement in regard to compensation, such agreement shall be submitted in writing to the commissioner by the employer with a statement of the time, place and nature of the injury upon which it is based; and, if such commissioner finds such agreement to conform to the provisions of this chapter in every regard, the commissioner shall so approve it. A copy of the agreement, with a statement of the commissioner's approval, shall be delivered to each of the parties and thereafter it shall be as binding upon both parties as an award by the commissioner. The commissioner's statement of approval shall also inform the employee or the employee's dependent, as the case may be, of any rights the individual may have to an annual cost-of-living adjustment or to participate in a rehabilitation program under the provisions of this chapter. The commissioner shall retain the original agreement, with the commissioner's approval thereof, in the commissioner's office and, if an application is made to the superior court for an execution, the commissioner shall, upon the request of said court, file in the court a certified copy of the agreement and statement of approval.
(b) Before discontinuing or reducing payment on account of total or partial incapacity, medical or surgical service or routine examination or treatment pursuant to section 31-294d, as amended by this act, under any such agreement, the employer or the employer's insurer, if it is claimed by or on behalf of the injured employee that such employee's incapacity or need for medical or surgical service or routine examination or treatment pursuant to section 31-294d, as amended by this act, still continues, shall notify the commissioner and the employee, by certified mail, of the proposed discontinuance or reduction of such payments, medical or surgical service or routine examination or treatment pursuant to section 31-294d, as amended by this act. Such notice shall specify the reason for the proposed discontinuance or reduction and the date such proposed discontinuance or reduction will commence. No discontinuance or reduction shall become effective unless specifically approved in writing by the commissioner. The employee may request a hearing on any such proposed discontinuance or reduction not later than fifteen days after receipt of such notice. Any such request for a hearing shall be given priority over requests for hearings on other matters. The commissioner shall not approve any such discontinuance or reduction prior to the expiration of the period for requesting a hearing or the completion of such hearing, whichever is later. In any case where the commissioner finds that an employer has discontinued or reduced any payments, medical or surgical service or routine examination or treatment pursuant to section 31-294d, as amended by this act, made in accordance with this section without the approval of the commissioner, the commissioner shall order the medical or surgical service or routine examination or treatment pursuant to subsection (c) of section 31-294d, as amended by this act, and such employer shall be required to pay to the employee the total amount of all payments so discontinued or the total amount by which such payments were reduced, as the case may be, and shall be required to pay interest to the employee, at a rate of one and one-quarter per cent per month or portion of a month, on any payments so discontinued or on the total amount by which such payments were reduced, as the case may be, plus reasonable attorney's fees incurred by the employee in relation to such discontinuance or reduction.
(c) The employer's or insurer's notice of intention to discontinue or reduce payments, medical or surgical service or routine examination or treatment pursuant to section 31-294d, as amended by this act, shall (1) identify the claimant, the claimant's attorney or other representative, the employer, the insurer, and the injury, including the date of the injury, the city or town in which the injury occurred and the nature of the injury, (2) include medical documentation that (A) establishes the basis for the discontinuance or reduction of payments, and (B) identifies the claimant's attending physician, and (3) be in substantially the following form:
IMPORTANT
STATE OF CONNECTICUT WORKERS' COMPENSATION COMMISSION
YOU ARE HEREBY NOTIFIED THAT THE EMPLOYER OR INSURER INTENDS TO REDUCE OR DISCONTINUE YOUR COMPENSATION PAYMENTS ON .... (date) FOR THE FOLLOWING REASONS:
If you object to the reduction or discontinuance of benefits as stated in this notice, YOU MUST REQUEST A HEARING NOT LATER THAN 15 DAYS after your receipt of this notice, or this notice will automatically be approved.
To request an Informal Hearing, call the Workers' Compensation Commission District Office in which your case is pending.
Be prepared to provide medical and other documentation to support your objection. For your protection, note the date when you received this notice.
(d) Whenever an employer or insurer files a notice pursuant to this section seeking to discontinue medical or surgical service or routine examination or treatment pursuant to section 31-294d, as amended by this act, the employer or insurer shall attach to the notice the basis for such discontinuance. If the employer or insurer intends to rely upon an examination pursuant to section 31-294f, the employer or insurer shall attach (1) a copy of the report from such examination, or (2) if no such examination has been conducted, a notice stating the date, time and location of when such examination shall be conducted.
Sec. 5. Section 31-296a of the general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective October 1, 2010):
No employer shall discontinue or reduce payment on account of total or partial incapacity, medical or surgical service or routine examination or treatment pursuant to section 31-294d, as amended by this act, under any oral agreement or in any case where the employer's acceptance of compensability has been conclusively presumed under subsection (b) of section 31-294c because of failure to file a timely notice contesting liability, if it is claimed by or on behalf of the injured person that his incapacity still continues, unless such employer notifies the commissioner and the employee of the proposed discontinuance or reduction in the manner prescribed in section 31-296, as amended by this act, and the commissioner specifically approves such discontinuance or reduction in writing.
This act shall take effect as follows and shall amend the following sections: | ||
Section 1 |
October 1, 2010 |
31-275 |
Sec. 2 |
October 1, 2010 |
31-279 |
Sec. 3 |
October 1, 2010 |
31-294d |
Sec. 4 |
October 1, 2010 |
31-296 |
Sec. 5 |
October 1, 2010 |
31-296a |
Statement of Purpose:
To reduce the delay in medical treatment of workers who have had their claims accepted by the employer and remove the requirement for preapproval by the employer or insurer for routine medical examinations and treatment for said workers.
[Proposed deletions are enclosed in brackets. Proposed additions are indicated by underline, except that when the entire text of a bill or resolution or a section of a bill or resolution is new, it is not underlined.]