Sec. 31-279. Notice of availability of compensation. Uniform system for determination of degree of physical impairment. Employer-sponsored plan for medical care and treatment. Indemnification of medic - Connecticut Statutes

      Sec. 31-279. Notice of availability of compensation. Uniform system for determination of degree of physical impairment. Employer-sponsored plan for medical care and treatment. Indemnification of medical advisory panel members. (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.

      (1949 Rev., S. 7437; September, 1957, P.A. 11, S. 13; 1958 Rev., S. 31-143; 1961, P.A. 491, S. 5; 1967, P.A. 842, S. 2; 1969, P.A. 556, S. 3; P.A. 90-116, S. 1; P.A. 91-32, S. 4, 41; 91-339, S. 5, 55; P.A. 93-228, S. 3, 35; P.A. 95-240; P.A. 01-85, S. 1, 3.)

      History: 1961 act entirely replaced previous provisions; 1967 act added provisions re commissioners' duties to maintain approved list of practicing physicians, surgeons and dentists, etc.; 1969 act added podiatrists to approved list; P.A. 90-116 added provision concerning regulations creating a uniform system for determination of the degree of physical impairment; P.A. 91-32 added provisions re notice of availability of compensation and made technical changes; P.A. 91-339 deleted provisions re adoption of rules by the commissioners, designated provisions re notice of availability of compensation as Subsec. (a) and authorized the chairman to adopt regulations governing, deleted provisions re list of physicians, surgeons, podiatrists and dentists, designated provisions re uniform system for determination of degree of physical impairment as Subsec. (b) and authorized the chairman to adopt regulations governing, deleted provisions re annual report of commissioner to the governor and added Subsecs. (c) to (e), inclusive, re employer-sponsored plans for medical care and treatment; P.A. 93-228 amended Subsec. (c) to delete requirement that employer-sponsored plans for medical care and treatment by employers with fifty or more employees include designation of labor-management safety committee and to prohibit employees from receiving compensation for treatment outside such plans, deleting provisions which had specified conditions permitting care and treatment by outside providers and deleted Subsec. (e) re compensation for treatment by practitioners not listed in employer-sponsored plans, effective July 1, 1993; P.A. 95-240 added Subsec. (e) re indemnification of members of the medical advisory panel; P.A. 01-85 amended Subsec. (c) by dividing existing provisions into Subdivs. (1)(A) and (1)(C) to (E) and Subdiv. (2), adding Subdiv. (1)(B) re direct payments to pharmacies and making technical changes, effective January 1, 2002.

      Cited. 219 C. 439.

      Cited. 29 CA 249.