HOUSE BILL No. 5781

 

April 21, 2004, Introduced by Rep. Lipsey and referred to the Committee on Judiciary.

        

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                 A bill to amend 1969 PA 317, entitled                                             

                                                                                

    "Worker's disability compensation act of 1969,"                             

                                                                                

    by amending section 821 (MCL 418.821), as amended by 1982 PA                

                                                                                

    282.                                                                        

                                                                                

                THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF MICHIGAN ENACT:                      

                                                                                

1       Sec. 821.  (1) A payment under this act  shall not be  is                   

                                                                                

2   not assignable or subject to attachment or garnishment  or  and             

                                                                                

3   shall not be held liable in any way for a debt.   In the case of            

                                                                                

4   the insolvency of  If an employer becomes insolvent, liability              

                                                                                

5   for compensation under this act  shall constitute  is a first               

                                                                                

6   lien upon all the property of the employer liable for the                   

                                                                                

7   compensation, paramount to all other claims or liens, except for            

                                                                                

8   wages and taxes,  which lien shall be enforced  and is                      

                                                                                

9   enforceable by order of the court.                                          

                                                                                

10      (2) This section  shall  does not apply to or affect the                    

                                                                                


                                                                                

1   validity of an assignment made to an insurance company; health              

                                                                                

2   maintenance organization operating under a certificate of                   

                                                                                

3   authority issued under chapter 35 of the insurance code of 1956,            

                                                                                

4   1956 PA 218, MCL 500.3501 to 500.3580, or licensed under former             

                                                                                

5   Act No.  264 of the Public Acts of 1974, or  1974 PA 264 or                

                                                                                

6   former part 210 of  Act No.  368 of the Public Acts of 1978, as             

                                                                                

7   amended, being sections 333.21001 to 333.21099 of the Michigan              

                                                                                

8   Compiled Laws  the public health code, 1978 PA 368; or a medical            

                                                                                

9   care and hospital service corporation organized or consolidated             

                                                                                

10  under former  Act No.  108 or 109 of the Public Acts of 1939                

                                                                                

11  1939 PA 108 or 1939 PA 109, or any successor organization making            

                                                                                

12  an advance or payment to an employee under a group disability or            

                                                                                

13  group hospitalization insurance policy  which  that provides that           

                                                                                

14  benefits  shall not be  are not payable under the policy for a              

                                                                                

15  period of disability or hospitalization resulting from accidental           

                                                                                

16  bodily injury or sickness arising out of or in the course of                

                                                                                

17  employment.   When a group disability or hospitalization                    

                                                                                

18  insurance company; health maintenance organization licensed under           

                                                                                

19  former Act No.  264 of the Public Acts of 1974, or part 210 of              

                                                                                

20  Act No.  368 of the Public Acts of 1978, as amended; or a medical           

                                                                                

21  care and hospital service corporation organized or consolidated             

                                                                                

22  under former Act No.  108 or 109 of the Public Acts of 1939, or             

                                                                                

23  any successor organization enforces an assignment given to it as            

                                                                                

24  provided in this section, it  A person described in this                    

                                                                                

25  subsection that enforces an assignment of a payment under this              

                                                                                

26  act shall pay, pursuant to rules established by the director, a             

                                                                                

27  portion of the attorney fees of the attorney who secured the                


                                                                                

1   worker's compensation recovery.                                             

                                                                                

2       (3)  As used in this section, "insurance company" includes a                

                                                                                

3   self-insurer.  If an insurance company insures both worker's                

                                                                                

4   compensation and group disability or group hospitalization, it              

                                                                                

5   shall be permitted the adjustment provided in this section.  This           

                                                                                

6   section does not apply to the assignment of payments made under a           

                                                                                

7   structured settlement that is part of or made under a redemption            

                                                                                

8   agreement.                                                                  

                                                                                

9       (4) A labor management health and welfare fund  shall be  is                

                                                                                

10  entitled to the same rights of assignment as an insurance company           

                                                                                

11  is entitled to under this section.  An insurance company that               

                                                                                

12  provides both worker's compensation insurance and group                     

                                                                                

13  disability or group hospitalization insurance is entitled to the            

                                                                                

14  adjustment provided in this section.                                        

                                                                                

15      (5) As used in this section, "insurance company" includes a                 

                                                                                

16  self-insurer.                                                               

                                                                                

17      Enacting section 1.  This amendatory act does not take                      

                                                                                

18  effect unless Senate Bill No. _____ or House Bill No. 5780                  

                                                                                

19  (request no. 05870'03) of the 92nd Legislature is enacted into              

                                                                                

20  law.