2012 -- H 7957

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LC02178

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STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2012

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A N A C T

RELATING TO LABOR AND LABOR RELATIONS -- WORKERS' COMPENSATION

BENEFITS

     Introduced By: Representatives Slater, and Diaz

     Date Introduced: March 15, 2012

     Referred To: House Judiciary

It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

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     SECTION 1. Section 28-33-5 of the General Laws in Chapter 28-33 entitled "Workers'

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Compensation - Benefits" is hereby amended to read as follows:

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     28-33-5. Medical services provided by employer. -- The employer shall, subject to the

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choice of the employee as provided in section 28-33-8, promptly provide for an injured employee

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any reasonable medical, surgical, dental, optical, or other attendance or treatment, nurse and

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hospital service, medicines, crutches, and apparatus for such period as is necessary, in order to

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cure, rehabilitate or relieve the employee from the effects of his injury; provided, that no fee for

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major surgery shall be paid unless permission for it in writing is first obtained from the workers'

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compensation court, the employer, or the insurance carrier involved, except where compliance

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with it may prove fatal or detrimental to the employee. Irrespective of the date of injury, the

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liability of the employer for hospital service rendered under this section to the injured employee

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shall be the cost to the hospital of rendering the service at the time the service is rendered. The

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director, after consultations with representatives of hospitals, employers, and insurance

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companies, shall establish administrative procedures regarding the furnishing and filing of data

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and the time and method of billing and may accept as representing the costs for both routine and

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special services to patients, costs as computed for the federal Medicare program. Each hospital

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licensed under chapter 16 of title 23 which renders services to injured employees under the

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Workers' Compensation Act, chapters 29 -- 38 of this title, shall submit and certify to the director,

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in accordance with requirements of the administrative procedures established by him or her, its

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costs for those services. The employer shall also provide all medical, optical, dental, and surgical

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appliances and apparatus required to cure or relieve the employee from the effects of the injury,

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including but not being limited to the following: ambulance and nursing service, eyeglasses,

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dentures, braces and supports, artificial limbs, crutches, and other similar appliances; provided,

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that the employer shall not be liable to pay for or provide hearing aids or other amplification

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devices including, but not limited to, hearing aids and other amplification devices.

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     SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage.

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LC02178

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EXPLANATION

BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL

OF

A N A C T

RELATING TO LABOR AND LABOR RELATIONS -- WORKERS' COMPENSATION

BENEFITS

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     This act would require the employer to pay for hearing aids and other amplification

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devices for employees injured at work.

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     This act would take effect upon passage.

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LC02178

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