Section 4123.66. Making additional payments for medical or funeral expenses

(A) In addition to the compensation provided for in this chapter, the administrator of workers' compensation shall disburse and pay from the state insurance fund the amounts for medical, nurse, and hospital services and medicine as the administrator deems proper and, in case death ensues from the injury or occupational disease, the administrator shall disburse and pay from the fund reasonable funeral expenses in an amount not to exceed fifty-five hundred dollars. The bureau of workers' compensation shall reimburse anyone, whether dependent, volunteer, or otherwise, who pays the funeral expenses of any employee whose death ensues from any injury or occupational disease as provided in this section. The administrator may adopt rules, with the advice and consent of the bureau of workers' compensation board of directors, with respect to furnishing medical, nurse, and hospital service and medicine to injured or disabled employees entitled thereto, and for the payment therefor. In case an injury or industrial accident that injures an employee also causes damage to the employee's eyeglasses, artificial teeth or other denture, or hearing aid, or in the event an injury or occupational disease makes it necessary or advisable to replace, repair, or adjust the same, the bureau shall disburse and pay a reasonable amount to repair or replace the same.

(B) The administrator, in the rules the administrator adopts pursuant to division (A) of this section, may adopt rules specifying the circumstances under which the bureau may make immediate payment for the first fill of prescription drugs for medical conditions identified in an application for compensation or benefits under section 4123.84 or 4123.85 of the Revised Code that occurs prior to the date the administrator issues an initial determination order under division (B) of section 4123.511 of the Revised Code. If the claim is ultimately disallowed in a final administrative or judicial order, and if the employer is a state fund employer who pays assessments into the surplus fund account created under section 4123.34 of the Revised Code, the payments for medical services made pursuant to this division for the first fill of prescription drugs shall be charged to and paid from the surplus fund account and not charged through the state insurance fund to the employer against whom the claim was filed.

(C)

(1) If an employer or a welfare plan has provided to or on behalf of an employee any benefits or compensation for an injury or occupational disease and that injury or occupational disease is determined compensable under this chapter, the employer or a welfare plan may request that the administrator reimburse the employer or welfare plan for the amount the employer or welfare plan paid to or on behalf of the employee in compensation or benefits. The administrator shall reimburse the employer or welfare plan for the compensation and benefits paid if, at the time the employer or welfare plan provides the benefits or compensation to or on behalf of employee, the injury or occupational disease had not been determined to be compensable under this chapter and if the employee was not receiving compensation or benefits under this chapter for that injury or occupational disease. The administrator shall reimburse the employer or welfare plan in the amount that the administrator would have paid to or on behalf of the employee under this chapter if the injury or occupational disease originally would have been determined compensable under this chapter. If the employer is a merit-rated employer, the administrator shall adjust the amount of premium next due from the employer according to the amount the administrator pays the employer. The administrator shall adopt rules, in accordance with Chapter 119. of the Revised Code, to implement this division.

(2) As used in this division, "welfare plan" has the same meaning as in division (1) of 29 U.S.C.A. 1002.

Amended by 130th General Assembly File No. TBD, HB 493, §1, eff. 9/17/2014.

Effective Date: 04-09-2003; 2007 HB100 09-10-2007