19-17-504. Medical expenses.


     19-17-504. Medical expenses. (1) The board shall authorize payment of some or all medical expenses resulting from an injury or illness that was incurred in the line of duty, as described in 19-17-105, and that required the services of a physician, surgeon, or nurse, whether or not the member was hospitalized. The payments must equal the amount of the member's necessary and reasonable out-of-pocket medical expenses that resulted directly from the injury or illness and that were billed within 36 months following the date of the injury or illness. The member shall file a claim for reimbursement within 12 months of the date of the bill. The total claim for reimbursement may not exceed $25,000.
     (2) If an injury incurred in the line of duty results in the loss by amputation of an arm, hand, leg, or foot, the enucleation of an eye, or the loss of any natural teeth, the board shall authorize either a payment for the cost of a prosthesis or a payment of $1,500 to help defray the cost of a prosthesis, whichever is less. The prosthesis may be replaced when necessary, but not more often than every 5 years. The board shall authorize payment of not more than $1,500 of the replacement costs.

     History: En. Sec. 3, Ch. 65, L. 1935; re-en. Sec. 5158.3, R.C.M. 1935; amd. Sec. 1, Ch. 37, L. 1957; amd. Sec. 1, Ch. 118, L. 1965; amd. Sec. 3, Ch. 160, L. 1967; amd. Sec. 1, Ch. 80, L. 1971; amd. Sec. 1, Ch. 199, L. 1973; amd. Sec. 1, Ch. 69, L. 1975; amd. Sec. 1, Ch. 90, L. 1977; amd. Sec. 1, Ch. 95, L. 1977; amd. Sec. 21, Ch. 157, L. 1977; amd. Sec. 2, Ch. 480, L. 1977; R.C.M. 1947, 11-2022(1), (2); amd. Sec. 4, Ch. 49, L. 1983; amd. Sec. 13, Ch. 57, L. 1983; Sec. 19-12-504, MCA 1991; redes. 19-17-504 by Code Commissioner, 1993; amd. Sec. 21, Ch. 175, L. 1995; amd. Sec. 36, Ch. 283, L. 2009.