The bill amends Section 28-33-5 of the General Laws in Chapter 28-33, titled "Workers’ Compensation — Benefits," to specify the medical services that an employer must provide to an injured employee. The amendment includes a new provision that requires employers to promptly provide reasonable medical, surgical, dental, optical, or other necessary treatments to cure, rehabilitate, or relieve an employee from the effects of their injury. It also states that no fee for major surgery shall be paid unless permission is obtained from the workers’ compensation court, the employer, or the insurance carrier, except in cases where non-compliance could be fatal or detrimental to the employee. The liability of the employer for hospital services is set at the cost to the hospital at the time the service is rendered, and hospitals must submit and certify their costs to the director. The employer is also responsible for providing medical appliances and apparatus required to cure or relieve the employee from the effects of the injury, with the exception of hearing aids or other amplification devices.

Additionally, the bill introduces a new subsection (b) which stipulates that if an employee receives a COVID-19 vaccine due to an employer's mandate and subsequently suffers an adverse medical event as a result of the vaccination, all associated medical expenses must be covered by the employer's workers' compensation insurance. The bill is designed to ensure that employees are protected and compensated for any adverse effects resulting from a mandated COVID-19 vaccine. The act would take effect immediately upon passage.

Statutes affected:
421: 28-33-5