Today’s workers’ compensation system provides payments to employees who suffer work-related injuries or diseases. It represents a compromise between the interests of the employer and those of the employee.
The Minnesota Workers’ Compensation law provides the exclusive remedy for work-related injuries and limits the amount of compensation. In exchange, liability is imposed on employers regardless of fault, assumption of the risk or if the injury was the responsibility of fellow employees.
Applies When an Employee Is Injured in Course and Scope of Work
The workers’ compensation coverage provided by MCIT through your employer pays for all benefits required of your employer by the Minnesota Workers’ Compensation Act (Minnesota Statutes, Chapter 176) caused by an accident or occupational loss while you were acting within the course and scope of your employment.
Benefits may include:
- Payment of medical expenses such as prescription medications, diagnostics (e.g., X-ray, CT scan, MRI), evaluations by a health care provider, durable medical equipment (e.g., crutches, TENS units, wheelchairs), medical procedures and surgeries
- Replacement of wages for time you cannot work due to recovery from the injury
- Payment of rehabilitation expenses, such as medical management and vocational training
- Mileage reimbursement for transportation expenses to and from medical appointments at a statutorily defined rate
What You Can Expect, Your Responsibilities
If you are injured or become ill during the course and scope of your assigned work duties, immediately report the situation to your supervisor. It is important that you are complete in the information you provide and that you are available to answer follow-up questions about the incident and your health.
Once the incident is reported to MCIT, you will be contacted by an MCIT workers’ compensation claims representative. He or she will explain the claim evaluation and payment process to you, along with your obligations.
MCIT mails a workers’ compensation packet of information to you that includes:
- Questionnaire that you complete prior to treatment
- Authorization to release medical information to MCIT: This facilitates the evaluation of the claim but preserves confidentiality of information
- Copy of the first report of injury form that MCIT received about the incident
- Mileage reimbursement form
- Billing instructions that you provide to your medical provider(s): Expenses should be billed to MCIT not to you
- Details about the pharmacy program, including a temporary prescription form
- Direct deposit form for lost time (wages) benefits
- Notice of privacy practices
- Employee Assistance Program details
- General information about workers’ compensation, including for what workers’ compensation will pay, how benefits are paid, what to expect if the claim is accepted or denied and Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry contact information
Frequently Asked Questions About Workers’ Compensation
You may be contacted by several individuals regarding your work injury. Each plays a role in ensuring that your situation is appropriately managed. From MCIT, you may be contacted by:
- The claim representative assigned to your case: He or she will gather information from you about your injury, your current state and provide details about the claim process.
- Employer representative, such as your supervisor: He or she will check in with you regarding your recovery and make plans to return you to the workplace.
- MCIT’s nurse case manager: She may want to speak with you about your injury and recovery.
- Qualified rehabilitation consultant: This individual is registered with the Minnesota Department of Labor and is required if you are off work for 90 days or more. This person provides medical case management and coordination for return to work.
- Others as needed: Depending on your situation, you may be contacted by others necessary to manage your claim, health care coordination and recovery.
Provide the pharmacy with the temporary prescription form for your first fill of the medication at a participating pharmacy. You will receive a permanent prescription via text for refills or additional prescriptions as needed.
Complete the mileage reimbursement form tallying miles driven for approved medical appointments related to your workplace injury.
If you receive a medical bill associated with your workplace injury accepted as compensable by workers’ compensation, send it to your claim representative at:
MCIT c/o Rising Medical Solutions
P.O. Box 1644
Milwaukee, WI 53201
Or fax to 866.767.3290
MCIT workers’ compensation coverage will pay medical bills associated with a workplace injury that has been accepted as compensable under workers’ compensation coverage. Alert health care providers that they should send their bills to:
MCIT c/o Rising Medical Solutions
P.O. Box 1644
Milwaukee, WI 53201
Or fax to 866.767.3290
- You may provide the above billing address or fax number to health care providers
Health care providers should send their bills to MCIT via our bill review partner Rising Medical Solutions for all medical expenses related to your workplace injury accepted as compensable under workers’ compensation. Bills should be sent to:
MCIT c/o Rising Medical Solutions
P.O. Box 1644
Milwaukee, WI 53201
Or fax to 866.767.3290
If your work-related injury causes you to lose more than three days of work, workers’ compensation indemnity (or monetary) benefits start on the fourth day of lost time. If the injury or illness results in 10 days of lost time or more, the first three days are retroactively reimbursed to you.
You will have benefits directly deposited into your bank account. Just complete and submit the direct deposit form. If the form is not received, a paper check will be mailed to you.
The compensation rate is based on the average wages you have earned in the previous 26 weeks. Generally, you are eligible for two-thirds of the average weekly wage at the time of injury. Wage benefits continue until you return to work without a wage loss, 90 days after maximum medical improvement is reached or the benefit has exhausted.