Senate Bill 135 Amends the Georgia Workers’ Compensation Act to Limit Certain Durable Medical Equipment and Treatments

Recently, Georgia has amended its Workers’ Compensation legislation to limit certain treatments in non-catastrophic cases. Becoming effective on July 1, 2019, the amended act now eliminates the 400-week cap for certain medical items and services that were furnished within 400 weeks of the date of injury and prescribed by an authorized physician.

Specifically, O.C.G.A Sec. 34-9-200 now states:

For injuries arising on or after July 1, 2013, that are not designated as catastrophic injuries pursuant to subsection (g) of Code Section 34-9-200.1, the maximum period of 400 weeks referenced in paragraph (2) of this subsection shall not be applicable to the following care, treatment, services, and items when prescribed by an authorized physician:

(i) Maintenance, repair, revision, replacement, or removal of any prosthetic device, provided that the prosthetic device was originally furnished within 400 weeks of date of injury or occupational disease arising out of and in the course of employment; 

(ii) Maintenance, repair, revision, replacement, or removal of a spinal cord stimulator or intrathecal pump device, provided that such items were originally furnished within 400 weeks of the date of injury or occupational disease arising out of and in the course of employment; and 

(iii) Maintenance, repair, revision, replacement, or removal of durable medical equipment, orthotics, corrective eyeglasses, or hearing aids, provided that such items were originally furnished within 400 weeks of the date of injury or occupational disease arising out of and in the course of employment.

The bill then goes on to define the following:

For the purposes of this subsection, the term:

(i) ‘Durable medical equipment’ means an apparatus that provides therapeutic benefits, is primarily and customarily used to serve a medical purpose, and is reusable and appropriate for use in the home. Such term includes, but shall not be limited to, manual and electric wheelchairs, beds and mattresses, traction equipment, canes, crutches, walkers, oxygen, and nebulizers. 

(ii) ‘Prosthetic device’ means an artificial device that has, in whole or in part, replaced a joint lost or damaged or other body part lost or damaged as a result of an injury or occupational disease arising out of and in the course of employment.

Per the Workers’ Compensation Medicare Set-Aside Reference Guide note “CMS will recognize or honor any state-legislated [1], non-compensable medical services and will separately evaluate any special situations regarding WC case”. Therefore, this amendment is of import as with this specific language, arguments can now be made to exclude pricey treatment such as intrathecal pain pumps and dreaded spinal cord stimulators. This could significantly impact WMCSA values in Georgia starting July 2019.

The GRSM Medicare Compliance Group will continue to monitor this, and other compensability matters. Please contact rmaldonado@grsm.com should you have any questions or concerns.

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[1] Workers’ Compensation Medicare Set-Aside Reference Guide., Version 2.9, January 4, 2019.