N.Y. Comp. Codes R. & Regs. Tit. 11 §§ 65-3.16

Current through Register Vol. 46, No. 51, December 18, 2024

Section 65-3.16 - Measurement of no-fault benefits

(a) Medical expenses.

(1) Payment for medical expenses shall be in accordance with fee schedules promulgated under section 5108 of the Insurance Law and contained in Part 68 of this Title (Regulation 83).

(2) Where an applicant receives treatment from a health maintenance organization, an Insurance Law article 43 corporation, a veterans administration hospital or provider, or any other provider which does not render specific charges for services, or where any such charges are indeterminate, the applicant shall be entitled to payment of benefits equal to the value for equivalent services rendered by a provider as limited by section 5108 of the Insurance Law and Part 68 of this Title (Regulation 83).

(3) Pursuant to section 5102 (a)(1) of the Insurance Law, an insurer shall not be liable for the payment of medical and other benefits enumerated in section 5102 (a)(1) of the Insurance Law if, during a period of one year from the date of the accident, no such expenses have been incurred by the applicant.

(4) The term nursing, as used in section 5102 (a)(1)(i) of the Insurance Law, shall include but not be limited to all necessary services rendered to the eligible injured person by a licensed practical nurse.

(5) If the applicant's injuries warrant occupational therapy or rehabilitation based on an attending physician's recommendation, or if the injuries have rendered the applicant unable to resume the applicant's occupation, the insurer shall inform the applicant of the coverage for occupational therapy or rehabilitation required by section 5102 (a)(1)(ii) of the Insurance Law, and the insurer shall assist the applicant in obtaining such occupational therapy and rehabilitation.

(6) The term any other professional health services, as used in section 5102 (a)(1)(iv) of the Insurance Law, this Part and approved endorsements, shall be limited to those services that are required or would be required to be licensed by the State of New York if performed within the State of New York. Such professional health services should be necessary for the treatment of the injuries sustained and within the lawful scope of the licensee's practice. Charges for the services shall be covered pursuant to schedules promulgated under section 5108 of the Insurance Law and Part 68 of this Title (Regulation 83). The services need not be initiated through referral by a treating or practicing physician.

(7) The scope of the term religious methods of healing recognized by the laws of this State, as used in section 5102 (a)(1)(iii) of the Insurance Law, this Part and approved endorsements, is a method recognized under article 131 of the Education Law. Charges for such services shall be covered pursuant to schedules promulgated under section 5108 of the Insurance Law.

(8) Services rendered to the eligible injured person by a certified or licensed home health care agency shall be considered a medical expense payable under section 5102 (a)(1) of the Insurance Law.

(9) Pursuant to section 5102 (b)(2) of the Insurance Law, when the applicant is entitled to workers' compensation benefits due to the same accident, the workers' compensation carrier shall be the sole source of reimbursement for medical expenses.

(10) If a provider of health service requires proof of the applicant's ability to pay for the services to be rendered as a result of the accident, the insurer shall provide the applicant or the provider (if the applicant is entitled to benefits) with a letter stating that the applicant has coverage under its policy and that the necessary medical expenses incurred as a result of the accident are covered expenses subject to the policy limits and conditions and applicable fee schedules.

(11) Within 30 calendar days of a submission by a dentist or plastic surgeon of a proposal for a course of treatment and charges, an insurer shall review such proposal and notify the provider as to whether or not payment will be made in accordance with the proposal. The foregoing shall apply to nonemergency situations and when the course of treatment is expected to involve covered expenses of $250 or more.

(12) A provider of health care services is not eligible for reimbursement under section 5102 (a)(1) of the Insurance Law if the provider fails to meet any applicable New York State or local licensing requirement necessary to perform such service in New York or meet any applicable licensing requirement necessary to perform such service in any other state in which such service is performed.

(b) Loss of earnings. In determining loss of earnings from work:

(1) benefits from other sources shall not be considered as an offset against or a deduction from loss of earnings, unless article 51 of the Insurance Law expressly provides for such offset or deduction;

(i) within the meaning of section 5102 (a)(2) of the Insurance Law, insurers shall not take a deduction for statutory or contractual wage continuation plans which are diminished or exhausted as payments are made or when accumulated sick leave time is used. In order for an insurer to be entitled to offset or deduct payments received by a claimant under a particular wage continuation plan, the plan must meet all of the following conditions:

(a) the applicant must be entitled to receive the same level of wage continuation benefits for a subsequent unrelated accident or illness when he or she returns to work after recovering from the injuries sustained in the motor vehicle accident;

(b) benefits for a subsequent unrelated accident or illness must be equal in both time and amount to the wage continuation benefits to which the applicant was entitled as a result of the injuries suffered in the motor vehicle accident; and

(c) wage continuation benefits for a subsequent disability must be immediately available, without any requirement that the applicant work a stated period of time before full benefits are restored;

(ii) within the meaning of section 5102 (a)(2) of the Insurance Law, insurers shall take a deduction for any payments made by an employer on a voluntary basis;

(iii) within the meaning of section 5102 (a)(2) of the Insurance Law, insurers shall not take a deduction for contractual or voluntary long-term disability plans, which generally become effective six months after the date disability begins;

(2) insureds covered by wage continuation plans which meet the criteria for deduction set forth in subparagraph (1)(i) of this subdivision, are entitled to a premium reduction to reflect the insurer's reduced exposure to loss, pursuant to section 2330 of the Insurance Law. Insurers shall grant the premium reduction upon receipt of information that indicates the insured is covered by such wage continuation plan;

(3) loss of earnings from work shall not necessarily be limited to the applicant's actual level of earnings at the time of the accident, but may also include demonstrated future earnings reasonably projected;

(4) an applicant, whose unemployment was the result of the seasonal nature of the work which the applicant usually performed, shall be entitled to receive payments for loss of earnings from work during the claimed period of disability arising from the accident which coincides with the seasonal period of employment;

(5) where the injury renders an unemployed applicant ineligible to receive unemployment benefits, the applicant shall be entitled to receive payments for loss of earnings from work equivalent in value to the unemployment benefits which the applicant would otherwise have received. If an unemployed applicant is eligible for disability benefits pursuant to Workers' Compensation Law, section 207 (sick unemployed fund), the no-fault insurer shall supplement such benefits to bring them up to the level of the lost unemployment benefits. If the unemployed applicant is not eligible for such disability benefits, the insurer shall pay an amount equal to the lost unemployment benefits. Such loss of earnings is eligible basic economic loss, but is not subject to the 20- percent offset from loss of earnings provided for in section 5102 (b)(1) of the Insurance Law;

(6) if the applicant, while disabled, is discharged from employment solely because of inability to work due to the injury, benefits for basic economic loss shall continue at the same level while the disability continues;

(7) if an applicant, while disabled, is discharged from employment, benefits shall cease if the position would have been lost had the accident not occurred (e.g., plant shutdown, strike, etc.). However, the insurer shall reimburse the applicant for benefits lost which would have been received had the applicant not been disabled (e.g., union strike benefits, unemployment, etc.);

(8) during the continuance of a disability arising from a covered accident, loss of earnings benefits due and payable must be paid periodically, at least once in every 30 calendar days;

(9) refusal by an eligible injured person to accept reasonable rehabilitative treatment may be the basis for denial of future payment of benefits for loss of earnings from work and may be used as evidence to dispute the reasonableness or necessity of any further expense or loss;

(10) substitute services:

(i) where an applicant sustains expenses in obtaining services in lieu of those such person would have performed for income, but still suffers a net loss of earnings from work which the applicant would have performed, such loss of earnings is eligible basic economic loss and shall be subject to the offsets provided for in section 5102 (b) of the Insurance Law; and the cost of substitute services reasonably sustained is also eligible basic economic loss, but shall not be subject to such offsets;

(ii) where an applicant has a claim for both substitute services and loss of earnings from work, the claim for substitute services shall be primary in computing the loss of earnings benefit payable;

(11) monthly work loss limit. The monthly limitation on the aggregate of work loss and substitute services shall not be prorated in the event that one is unable to work or is required to obtain substitute services for a period less than one month. A month shall be each consecutive period of 30 days beginning with the date of the accident unless the injury extends for more than one year, in which case there shall be 12 monthly payment periods for the period from the date of accident to each annual anniversary of the accident date;

(12) the maximum first-party benefit payable for loss of earnings from work under the mandatory coverage is $1,000 per month for claims arising from accidents occurring prior to November 12, 1991 and $2,000 per month for claims arising from accidents occurring on and after November 12, 1991;

(13) lump-sum settlement for loss of earnings:

(i) an insurer may at its option enter into a lump-sum settlement agreement for the payment of first-party benefits, provided that competent medical testimony establishes that:

(a) the period of disability will extend for at least three years beyond the date of the accident; and

(b) the settlement would be of material benefit to the applicant, occupationally and from a rehabilitative standpoint;

(ii) lump-sum settlements shall be permitted only for the payment of loss of earnings from work and may be reduced to the present value of net benefit payments computed on the basis of a six percent annual interest factor and any other applicable offsets; and

(iii) no lump-sum settlement shall be permitted unless the form for lump-sum settlement agreement, Appendix 13-A, infra, is executed by the parties specified thereon and approved by an arbitrator or a court of competent jurisdiction in accordance with the provisions of this Subpart.

(c) Other reasonable and necessary expenses sustained. Where the applicant sustains other reasonable and necessary expenses, such services must be actually performed for a charge by a person who is not legally obligated to render them and would not ordinarily perform such services as part of a family relationship; provided, however, that if a member of a family or relative suffers pecuniary loss in order to render such services, such person shall be reimbursed to the extent of the reasonable value of such services.

N.Y. Comp. Codes R. & Regs. Tit. 11 §§ 65-3.16