Michigan

February 21, 2012: Michigan News: Petitions
for Hearing Now Accepted on Plain Paper

January 10, 2012: Michigan News: Alternate
Dispute Resolution Policy

No Change in Mileage Rate Effective October
1, 2011

The Department of Technology, Management
and Budget has advised that there will be no
change in the mileage rate on October 1, 2011.
The rate will remain at .555 per mile and there
will be no change in the other travel
reimbursement rates. However, the list of
Michigan select cities has been changed to Ann
Arbor, Holland, South Haven, and all of
Wayne and Oakland counties. The cities of
Charlevoix and Mackinaw City have been
removed from the list. For a comprehensive
list of all the travel rates, click on the link
below.
Travel Reimbursement Rates from 1982 to
Present

Overview of Michigan Workers
Compensation

What's New
• No Change in Mileage Rate Effective
October 1, 2011
• Appellate Commission Changes
• Governor Snyder Appoints Chairperson of
Board of Magistrates
• New Magistrate Appointed
• Change in Mileage Rate Effective July 1, 2011
• Appointments Made to the Board of
Magistrates
• Claims EDI Comes t Michigan
• 2011 Overview of the Funds Administration
• 2010 Notice of Dispute Report
• 2010 Pay Lag Report
• 2011 Report on Adequacy of Benefits Paid
Under the Workers' Disability Compensation
Act
• 2010 Annual Report

October 01, 2011: fee schedule
WORKERS' COMPENSATION FEE
SCHEDULES
Fee Schedules for Doctors, Hospitals,
Physicians’ Fee Schedule Codes, In Office
Surgery, etc.

Medical Control The employer may direct the injured employee to a
medical provider of the employer's choice for the first 10 days of care
following the injury or illness. After the first 10 days of care, the
injured employee may choose his/her own treating provider, but must
notify the employer with the name of the provider. The employee
may select his/her own pharmacy or select a pharmacy from the
Express Scripts pharmacy network. Emergency medical care does not
require preapproval and should be secured at the nearest location.

Medical providers send their bills directly to the employer or its insurance
carrier. If for some reason the worker pays the doctor directly, he or she is
entitled to be reimbursed by the employer or insurance company.

The law provides that medical providers such as doctors and hospitals cannot
charge more than the amount specified in a fee schedule. If they attempt to
charge more, the insurance company will pay only the maximum allowed by
the schedule. The provider is not allowed to collect the difference from the
worker. More information about the workers' compensation health care rules
is available from the Health Care Services Division's website or by calling
(517) 322-5433 .

Nearly all employers in Michigan are covered by workers' compensation. This
includes both public and private employers. In fact, when talking about
workers' compensation, it is easier to discuss the exceptions. There are a few
classes of workers who are covered by federal laws and are not covered by the
Workers' Disability Compensation Act of Michigan. Employees of the federal
government (such as postal workers, employees at a veterans administration
hospital, or members of the armed forces) are covered by federal laws. People
who work on interstate railroads are covered by the Federal Employers
Liability Act. Seamen on navigable waters are covered by the Merchant
Marine Act of 1920, and people loading and unloading vessels are covered by
the Longshoremen's and Harbor Workers' Compensation Act. Virtually all
other workers and employers are subject to Michigan's law.

Certain very small employers are exempt. If a private employer has three or
more employees at any one time, or employs one or more workers for 35 or
more hours per week for 13 or more weeks, the employer is subject to the
Workers' Disability Compensation Act. (Section 115)

The law requires that every employer subject to the Act must provide some
way of assuring that it can pay benefits to its workers should they become
injured. Most employers in Michigan provide this security by purchasing an
insurance policy from a private insurance company. The insurance company
then reports to the agency that it is providing coverage for that employer.
Some employers, however, are "self-insured."

Section 315 of the Workers' Disability Compensation Act provides that a
worker is entitled to all reasonable and necessary medical care. This includes
medical, surgical, and hospital services, dental services, crutches, hearing
apparatus, chiropractic treatment and nursing care. The responsibility to
provide medical care continues indefinitely so long as the need for the care is
related to the industrial injury.

During the first ten days of treatment the employer has the right to choose the
doctor. After that the worker is free to change doctors if he or she so desires.
The worker, however, must notify the employer of the change.