New South Wales Consolidated Acts

WORKERS COMPENSATION ACT 1987 - SECT 60

60 Compensation for cost of medical or hospital treatment and rehabilitation etc

(1) If, as a result of an injury received by a worker, it is reasonably necessary that:

(a) any medical or related treatment (other than domestic assistance) be given, or

(b) any hospital treatment be given, or

(c) any ambulance service be provided, or

(d) any workplace rehabilitation service be provided,

the worker’s employer is liable to pay, in addition to any other compensation under this Act, the cost of that treatment or service and the related travel expenses specified in subsection (2).

Note: Compensation for domestic assistance is provided for by section 60AA.

(2) If it is necessary for a worker to travel in order to receive any such treatment or service (except any treatment or service excluded from this subsection by the regulations), the related travel expenses the employer is liable to pay are:

(a) the cost to the worker of any fares, travelling expenses and maintenance necessarily and reasonably incurred by the worker in obtaining the treatment or being provided with the service, and

(b) if the worker is not reasonably able to travel unescorted-the amount of the fares, travelling expenses and maintenance necessarily and reasonably incurred by an escort provided to enable the worker to be given the treatment or provided with the service.

(3) Payments under this section are to be made as the costs are incurred, but only if properly verified.

(4) The fact that a worker is a contributor to a medical, hospital or other benefit fund, and is therefore entitled to any treatment or service either at some special rate or free or entitled to a refund, does not affect the liability of an employer under this section.

(5) The jurisdiction of the Commission with respect to a dispute about compensation payable under this section extends to a dispute concerning any proposed treatment or service and the compensation that will be payable under this section in respect of any such proposed treatment or service. Any such dispute must be referred by the Registrar for assessment under Part 7 (Medical assessment) of Chapter 7 of the 1998 Act, unless the regulations otherwise provide.