Georgia Increases its Maximum Compensation Rates and Extends Medical Benefits Beyond the 400-Week Cap
Increase in Maximum Compensation Rates
The current maximum compensation rates will increase for claims with a date of injury on or after July 1, 2019.
Temporary Total Disability (TTD)/Permanent Partial Disability (PPD)
- Current Maximum: $575.00/week
- New Maximum: $675.00/week
Temporary Partial Disability (TPD)
- Current Maximum: $383.00/week
- New Maximum: $450.00/week
Changes to Medical Benefits
Georgia’s workers’ compensation medical benefits are capped at 400-weeks for non-catastrophic injuries that occurred on or after July 1, 2013. The amendment removes the 400-week cap on certain very specific medical benefits for all claims with dates of injury on or after July 1, 2013, but it does not eliminate the 400-week cap entirely. Instead, the amendment states that the 400-week cap does not apply to the “care, treatment, services, and items” related to the ongoing “maintenance, repair, revision, replacement, or removal” of (1) prosthetic devices, (2) spinal cord stimulators, (3) intrathecal pump devices, (4) durable medical equipment, (5) orthotics, (6) corrective eyeglasses, and (7) hearing aids, when those items are prescribed by the authorized treating physician and originally provided within 400 weeks of the date of injury.
As written, the recent amendment removing the 400-week cap applies to all active claims that are subject to the cap. Since the 400-week cap on medical benefits only applies to dates of injury on or after July 1, 2013, the first claims affected will start to reach the 400-week cap on or after February 28, 2021. The amendment may, however, immediately impact the reserves and the forecast of future medical exposure for some claims.
For questions regarding this bill, please contact one of MGC’s Georgia workers’ compensation attorneys. Contact information can be found at www.mgclaw.com.
This legal update is published as a service to our clients and friends. It is intended to provide general information and does not constitute legal advice regarding any specific situation. Past success does not indicate likelihood of success in any future legal representation.