| Emergencies
Non-Work-Related
Illness or Injury
If you become ill
while conducting University business, and the illness is not work related, your
usual benefits coverage will be your insurance resource. Check with your medical
insurance carrier in advance of your trip to see how out-of-town and out-of-country
treatment should be handled.
If you combine
vacation with University business and you become ill or are injured during the
vacation portion of your trip, your usual medical insurance carrier
will be your insurance resource.
If you are injured
while conducting University business, you will be covered through
Workers' Compensation, which is administered through Work~Connections. Phone:
734-615-0643 or toll free 1-877-869-5266; note that toll-free telephone numbers
do not work outside the U.S. or Canada. Fax: 734-936-1913. See also "Work-Related
Illness and Injury."
Work-Related
Illness or Injury
In accordance with
the State of Michigan Workers' Disability Compensation Act, benefits are provided
to all employees who sustain injuries or occupational diseases arising out of
or during the course of employment. These benefits include all reasonable medical,
surgical, hospital, and vocational rehabilitation costs. In addition, when indicated,
a percentage of the average weekly wage may be provided to compensate for wage
loss. The University of Michigan is self-insured for this coverage and Work~Connections
administers all claims.
- Michigan state
law requires employers to provide a designated medical facility to treat employees
for the first 10 days of illness or injury. Questions regarding designated medical
facilities should be referred to Work~Connections at 734-615-0643 or toll free,
1-877-869-5266.
- If you elect to
seek treatment from another physician or chiropractor following the 10-day period,
you should contact Work~Connections to discuss how they can provide assistance
and clarify your responsibilities.
- If an employee
elects to seek treatment from a doctor of his/her own choosing, written notice
must be provided to Work~Connections. The employee must assume responsibility
for providing necessary medical documentation.
- Usually, sick
time must be exhausted before wage loss benefits will begin.
- Under Michigan
law, no wage loss benefits will be paid for an injury or occupational illness
that does not cause a disability resulting in wage loss for a period of at least
seven consecutive calendar days.
- If disability
extends beyond the period of seven consecutive calendar days, compensation will
begin on the eighth day of disability. If disability resulting in wage loss continues
for 14 consecutive calendar days or longer, or if death or dismemberment results
from an injury, compensation will be computed from the last day of work.
How to Submit
a Claim
You immediately must report any work-related injury or occupational illness to
your supervisor, whether you are in the U.S. or out of the country. Supervisors
are required to complete an Employee Accident or Illness Report and forward it
to Work~Connections. If you will be supervising staff or graduate students, take
with you copies of the Supervisor's Report of Employee Accident or Illness form.
Supervisors should complete this form and submit it to Work~Connections within
24 hours of notification of injury. In the event of catastrophic or fatal injuries,
notification is required within 24 hours. Both forms can be downloaded from the
Work~Connections Web site at http://www.umich.edu/~connect/.
Payment for
Medical Treatment Related to On-the-Job Injury
Within the U.S. Before treatment is rendered, it is important to
tell the medical provider that you are receiving care for a work-related injury.
The medical provider will usually bill the University directly. If you receive
a bill, immediately forward it to Work~Connections.
When You
are Out of the Country. Ask if the doctor or hospital will bill UM Work~Connections
directly. A few will; however, most doctors and hospitals in other countries will
ask you to pay the bill. In some countries, you must pay your medical bill before
you are allowed to leave the country. Payment or reimbursement of your bill will
be made in accordance with the provisions of the presiding medical fee schedule.
Additional Questions
Your claim will be assigned to a Work~Connections claims representative who will
assist you while you recover from your disability. Contact your claims representative
to discuss any questions, suggestions, or concerns you may have with respect to
your claim.
For further information,
contact Work~Connections at 734-615-0643 or toll free at 1-877-869-5266. Fax:
734-936-1913.
Ambulance
Needs
Benefits are payable
for professional ambulance services based on medical necessity and are reimbursed
at the rate allowed at the time of the event. File claims in the usual manner.
If you are out of the country, request that the receipt be in English (see "Billing,"
below). Typically, voluntary donations for medical services provided by a fire
department or rescue squad are not reimbursable.
Billing
To avoid unnecessary
delays with claims processing, please check to see if the receipt is accurate.
The receipt should include the following information:
- doctor or hospital's
name and address
- doctor or hospital's
tax ID number (if they are in the U.S.)
- patient's full
name
- subscriber's name
and, if applicable, contract number (nine digits) and group number (five digits)
- dates of service
- individual charges
(itemized and in English)
- description of
each service
- complete diagnosis
or reason for care
- medical documentation
report or copy of medical report (in English)
- the dates of admission
and discharge-if the patient was admitted to a hospital.
While cash register
receipts, canceled checks, or money order stubs will help to substantiate that
you paid for services, they are not a substitute for an itemized receipt.
In
the Event of a Death
If the deceased
is a University employee, the following UM departments should be contacted immediately
and in this order: the Department of Public Safety at 734-763-1131, Risk Management
at 734-724-2200, and Work~Connections at 734-615-0643 (toll-free, 1-877-869-5266).
In the U.S.
When a death occurs, contact a local funeral home for assistance. Generally, the
funeral home will take care of any forms, transportation arrangements, etc., which
may be required by the individual's family.
Outside of
the U.S. Usually, when a U.S. citizen dies abroad, a consular officer
notifies the person's family and informs them about options and costs for disposition
of remains. Costs for preparing and returning a body to the U.S. are high and
are the responsibility of the family. Often, local laws and procedures make returning
a body to the U.S. for burial a lengthy process. Insurance for such occurrences
is referred to as "Repatriation of Remains" insurance. See "Travel Information
and Services Provided by the U.S. Department of State" or http://travel.state.gov/crisis_abroad.html.
Legal
Issues
Group Legal
Plan. If you are enrolled in the UM Hyatt Legal Plan and need legal services,
you can call Hyatt Legal Plan's Client Services Center at 1-800-821-6400 between
8 a.m. and 8 p.m. (Eastern time), Monday through Friday. The Hyatt Legal Plan
can be used only in the U.S.
University-Related
Liability Claims. If claims are made against the University of Michigan or
its representatives, contact the Risk Management Department at 734-724-2200.
Property Damage
or Theft. All incidents involving damage to or theft of University of Michigan
property must be reported to the local law enforcement agency. In addition, a
Proof of Loss form must be forwarded to the Risk Management Department. Documentation
substantiating the value of the property must be attached. Forms can be downloaded
from the department's Web site at http://www.umich.edu/~riskmgmt/.
For other losses, contact the Risk Management Department at 734-764-2200.
Personal property
damages should be pursued with your personal property insurance carrier.
Students.
All students are subject to University of Michigan regulations, codes of conduct,
and program guidelines in addition to the laws of the host country. See the U.S.
Department of State's Web site page containing tips for students, http://travel.state.gov/studentinfo.html.
Alcohol and
Drugs. As with many customs, cross-cultural differences exist with regard
to the consumption of alcohol. Depending on your host country, you may find the
availability of alcohol greatly increased or decreased. Keep in mind that being
under the influence of alcohol impairs judgment and increases your chances of
being the victim of a crime.
Illegal drug use
and possession are serious crimes. The State Department's Travel Warnings on Drugs
Abroad contains this valuable advice:
Although drug
laws vary in each country you visit, it is important to realize, before you make
the mistake of getting involved with drugs, that foreign officials do not react
lightly to drug offenders. Anyone who is caught with even a very small quantity
for personal use may be tried and may receive the same sentence as the large-scale
trafficker.
Arrests
Inside the U.S. If the arrest is a personal issue, contact your
attorney. If the arrest is a University issue, ask your department to contact
the General Counsel's Office. In an emergency, contact the UM Department of Public
Safety at 734-763-1131 and have DPS contact your department or the General Counsel's
Office.
Legal Rights
Outside of the U.S. Standard United States legal protections such as your
right to due process, protections against unreasonable search and seizure, right
to a prompt trial, right to an attorney, and other constitutional rights are not
available outside the United States.
If you are arrested
in a foreign country, ask the authorities to notify the United States consul.
Consuls cannot get you out of jail, but they can intercede with local authorities
to make sure that your rights under local law are strictly observed and can work
to protect your legitimate interests and ensure that you are not discriminated
against. They can provide a list of attorneys, visit you, inform you generally
about local laws, and contact your family and friends. Consular officers can transfer
money, food, and clothing from your family or friends to prison authorities. And
they can try to get you relief if you are held under inhumane or unhealthful conditions.
Transportation
Accidents Involving
University Vehicles
All off-campus accidents must be reported to the local law enforcement agency.
If the accident involves a University vehicle, complete the accident report you
will find in the glove compartment, and arrange for repairs through Transportation
Services, 734-763-3427. If the vehicle is loaned to or rented to the University
of Michigan, contact Risk management at 734-764-2200. If there is a personal injury,
Risk management must be contacted.
Traffic Tickets
You are responsible for obeying traffic laws in the area in which you are traveling
and are responsible for any traffic tickets you incur. In some countries, you
must pay traffic tickets on the spot. See also "Driving
Outside the U.S."
Vehicle Rental/Loan
In the U.S. While on University business, loss damage waiver (LDW)
coverage need not be purchased. Use of a "preferred" rental agency or credit card
company may provide this coverage. Contact the Travel Office at 734-764-8212,
visit them on the Web at http://www.umich.edu/~purch/traveloffice/
or email them at travel.office@umich.edu.
Outside the
U.S. Driving is not recommended in other countries.
See "Driving Outside the U.S."
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