Discuss Infectious or Communicable Diseases from the standpoint of workers' compensation issues
What will be an ideal response?
Answer:
For the healthcare industry, contracting an infectious or communicable disease at some point in one's career is common. However, it is debatable if these are workers' compensation issues. For example, if an employee gets the norovirus from caring for patients who also have the virus, some employers would allow workers' compensation to obtain antiviral medication, but if the physician provides time off for the employee to get well and not be contagious to others, there may be a right of payment for lost wages. Some situations are clear-cut workers' compensation; for example, a situation in which a nurse gets Hepatitis or HIV from an accidental needlestick or other exposure is covered and treated under workers' compensation insurance.
Sometimes a claimant may have an occupational illness which is submitted to the WC Board and a concurrent nonoccupational illness for which he or she may be reimbursed under the plan. In such instances, a separate billing should be completed by the provider indicating those charges that were solely for the treatment of the nonoccupational disability.
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