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Workers’ compensation benefits can include:
Medical Care : Reasonable and necessary treatment related to your work injury or illness, including physician fees, hospital services, physical therapy, x-rays and medications. Your employer selects the treating physician for the first 30 days, unless you have predesignated your primary care physician. After 30 days, you may choose a different doctor. MPA pays treatment costs directly, so you should never receive a bill or pay a co-payment. Note that for injuries on/after 1/1/04, there are some limitations on medical services.
If a decision regarding liability for your claim is delayed, medical treatment will be provided until the date that liability is accepted or rejected, up to $10,000.
Temporary Disability : If your doctor says you can’t do your usual job while recovering from an injury or illness, your employer may have temporary transitional work (see Return to Work below). If not, you are entitled to compensation for lost wages as follows:
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Police officers and firefighters: up to one year of salary continuation, per state law
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Employees covered by salary continuation programs: check with your employer for information on your benefits
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Employees not covered by salary continuation programs: temporary disability benefits
Temporary disability pays two-thirds of your average weekly earnings, subject to minimum and maximum amounts set by state law. The first three days of lost time are not paid, unless you are hospitalized overnight or off work for more than 14 days. For injuries on/after 4/19/04, there are limitations on the time to collect temporary disability.
Permanent Disability : If your doctor says that your injury or illness results in permanent disability or “impairment”, you may receive additional payments. The amount will depend on the type of injury, your age, occupation and date of injury, and related preexisting or subsequent medical conditions or injuries.
Death Benefits : If an injury or illness results in the death of the employee, payments may be made to qualified dependents. The amount is determined by state law.
Job Displacement Benefits : If your injury results in permanent disability and you do not return to work with your employer because of your injury or illness, you may be entitled to benefits to assist you with retraining.
Return to Work : MPA and your employer have established the Temporary Transitional Work (TTW) program. It is designed to assist employees in returning to productive and medically appropriate tasks while they are recovering from injuries. TTW tasks will be made available for a limited period of time, usually 90 days. If you are unable to return to full duty within that time, you may be placed on temporary disability.
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