While injured workers in Connecticut who are eligible for workers’ compensation benefits should be aware that their coverage will include medical expenses, lost time at work and other obvious costs, there are some coverable expenses that they should also know about. For people who need certain services, it is possible that they can get reimbursement for expenses they have accrued. Knowing when they can get these reimbursements through the rules set by the Workers’ Compensation Commission is important.
When there is medical treatment and the worker has lost time because of it, this is reimbursable. The medical treatment should be given during work hours if possible. When the worker receives this treatment, the employee should be paid his or her normal wages should that worker not be eligible for wage replacement under workers’ compensation. The employer is not allowed to require that the treatment be taken outside of the workers’ regular hours if it is available during regular work hours. If it is not available during regular work hours, the workers should get it when it is available and reimbursed at the hourly wages like it was lost time at work. The employer can seek to be reimbursed by the insurer.
For those whose injuries require prescription medications, this too is covered by workers’ compensation insurance. It must be a prescription given by an attending physician to treat an injury or illness from the work the person was doing. The carrier or employer should pay for the prescriptions. A covered employee should not need to pay, nor to try and get reimbursed. It does not matter whether the worker took part in a managed care plan or not.
A worker who has suffered a workplace injury or condition should not only be aware of the obvious areas for which he or she can receive workers’ compensation, but also for other areas including reimbursement. As with any other aspect of workers’ compensation benefits, when there is a problem getting this reimbursement, it is critical to have legal help. A lawyer who has experience helping clients with their workers’ compensation cases should be contacted immediately to get everything the worker is entitled to.
