4123-7-30 No legal relationship between the industrial commission or self-insuring employer and a health care provider.

(A) Direct payment to a health care provider or other person authorized by the industrial commission or self-insuring employer for medical care rendered to a claimant under the act does not imply or create a legal relationship between the industrial commission or bureau self-insuring employer and such person where no other legal relationship by contract or otherwise exists.

(B) The services rendered to the claimant are the legal obligation of the patient-claimant.

The direct payment by the self-insuring employer to the health care provider is simply a discretionary method by which the award made to the claimant for medical expenses may be discharged.

(C) Except as prohibited by division (K) of section 4121.44 of the Revised Code and rule 4123-6-62 of the Administrative Code, whether the bureau self-insuring employer chooses to pay money to the claimant, or chooses to discharge claimant’s obligation by a direct payment to the creditor-health care provider, the sole legal recourse of such health care provider is against the claimant.

HISTORY: Eff 1-1-78; 11-13-92; 2-14-05

Promulgated Under: 119.03

Statutory Authority: RC 4121.12, 4121.121, 4121.30, 4121.31, 4121.44, 4123.05, 4123.66

Rule Amplifies: 4121.44, 4123.66

R.C. 119.032 review dates: 10/26/2004 and 03/01/2009