Connecticut 2022 Regular Session

Connecticut Senate Bill SB00222 Latest Draft

Bill / Comm Sub Version Filed 04/26/2022

                             
 
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General Assembly  Substitute Bill No. 222  
February Session, 2022 
 
 
 
 
 
AN ACT REQUIRING NOTICE OF DISCONTINUING PRESCRIPTION 
MEDICINE UNDER A WORKERS' COMPENSATION CLAIM.  
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General 
Assembly convened: 
 
Section 1. Subsection (a) of section 31-294d of the 2022 supplement to 1 
the general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu 2 
thereof (Effective October 1, 2022): 3 
(a) (1) The employer, as soon as the employer has knowledge of an 4 
injury, shall provide a competent physician, surgeon, physician 5 
assistant or advanced practice registered nurse to attend the injured 6 
employee and, in addition, shall furnish any medical and surgical aid or 7 
hospital and nursing service, including medical rehabilitation services 8 
and prescription drugs, as the physician, surgeon, physician assistant or 9 
advanced practice registered nurse deems reasonable or necessary. The 10 
employer, any insurer acting on behalf of the employer, or any other 11 
entity acting on behalf of the employer or insurer shall be responsible 12 
for paying the cost of such prescription drugs directly to the provider. 13 
If the employer utilizes an approved providers list, when an employee 14 
reports a work-related injury or condition to the employer the employer 15 
shall provide the employee with such approved providers list within 16 
two business days of such reporting. 17 
(2) Before discontinuing or reducing payment for prescription drugs, 18  Substitute Bill No. 222 
 
 
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which a physician has deemed reasonable or necessary under this 19 
section, the employer, or any insurer acting on behalf of the employer, 20 
shall notify the administrative law judge and the employee, by certified 21 
mail, of the proposed discontinuance or reduction of such payments. 22 
Such notice shall specify the reason for the proposed discontinuance or 23 
reduction and the date such proposed discontinuance or reduction will 24 
commence. The employer's or insurer's notice of intention to 25 
discontinue or reduce payments shall (A) identify the claimant, the 26 
claimant's attorney or other representative, the employer, the insurer, 27 
and the injury, including the date of the injury, the city or town in which 28 
the injury occurred and the nature of the injury, (B) include medical 29 
documentation that (i) establishes the basis for the discontinuance or 30 
reduction of payments, and (ii) identifies the claimant's attending 31 
physician or advanced practice registered nurse, and (C) be in 32 
substantially the following form: 33 
IMPORTANT 34 
STATE OF CONNECTICUT WORKERS' COMPENSATION 35 
COMMISSION 36 
YOU ARE HEREBY NOTIFIED THAT THE EMPLOYER OR 37 
INSURER INTENDS TO REDUCE OR DISCONTINUE YOUR 38 
PRESCRIPTION PAYMENTS ON .... (date) FOR THE FOLLOWIN G 39 
REASONS: 40 
If you object to the discontinuance of prescription payments as stated 41 
in this notice, YOU MUST REQUEST A HEARING NOT LATER THAN 42 
15 DAYS after your receipt of this notice, or this notice will 43 
automatically be approved. 44 
To request an Informal Hearing, call the Workers' Compensation 45 
Commission District Office in which your case is pending. 46 
Be prepared to provide medical and other documentation to support 47 
your objection. For your protection, note the date when you received 48 
this notice. 49  Substitute Bill No. 222 
 
 
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(3) No discontinuance or reduction shall become effective unless 50 
specifically approved in writing by the administrative law judge. The 51 
employee may request a hearing on any such proposed discontinuance 52 
not later than fifteen days after receipt of such notice. Any such request 53 
for a hearing shall be given priority over requests for hearings on other 54 
matters. The administrative law judge shall not approve any such 55 
discontinuance or reduction prior to the expiration of the period for 56 
requesting a hearing or the completion of such hearing, whichever is 57 
later. 58 
[(2)] (4) If the injured employee is a local or state police officer, state 59 
marshal, judicial marshal, correction officer, emergency medical 60 
technician, paramedic, ambulance driver, firefighter, or active member 61 
of a volunteer fire company or fire department engaged in volunteer 62 
duties, who has been exposed in the line of duty to blood or bodily fluids 63 
that may carry blood-borne disease, the medical and surgical aid or 64 
hospital and nursing service provided by the employer shall include any 65 
relevant diagnostic and prophylactic procedure for and treatment of any 66 
blood-borne disease. 67 
This act shall take effect as follows and shall amend the following 
sections: 
 
Section 1 October 1, 2022 31-294d(a) 
 
APP Joint Favorable Subst.