Infectious Diseases The Employer and the Union desire to arrest the spread of infectious diseases in the nursing home. To achieve this objective, the Joint Health and Safety Committee may review and offer input into infection control programs and protocols including surveillance, outbreak control, isolation, precautions, worker education and training, and personal protective equipment. The Employer will provide training and ongoing education in communicable disease recognition, use of personal protective equipment, decontamination of equipment, and disposal of hazardous waste.
Disease Management If you have a chronic condition such as asthma, coronary heart disease, diabetes, congestive heart failure, and/or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, we’re here to help. Our tools and information can help you manage your condition and improve your health. You may also be eligible to receive help through our care coordination program. This voluntary program is available at no additional cost you. To learn more about disease management, please call (000) 000-0000 or 0-000-000-0000. Our entire contract with you consists of this agreement and our contract with your employer. Your ID card will identify you as a member when you receive the healthcare services covered under this agreement. By presenting your ID card to receive covered healthcare services, you are agreeing to abide by the rules and obligations of this agreement. Your eligibility for benefits is determined under the provisions of this agreement. Your right to appeal and take action is described in Appeals in Section 5. This agreement describes the benefits, exclusions, conditions and limitations provided under your plan. It shall be construed under and shall be governed by the applicable laws and regulations of the State of Rhode Island and federal law as amended from time to time. It replaces any agreement previously issued to you. If this agreement changes, an amendment or new agreement will be provided.
Communicable Diseases Upon recommendation of the Medical Officer of Health, all employees shall be required, on an annual basis to be vaccinated and or to take antiviral medication for influenza. If the costs of such medication are not covered by some other sources, the Employer will pay the cost for such medication. If the employee fails to take the required medication, she may be placed on an unpaid leave of absence during any influenza outbreak in the home until such time as the employee has been cleared by the public health or the employer to return to the work environment. The only exception to this would be employees for whom taking the medication will result in the employee being physically ill to the extent that she cannot attend work. Upon written direction from the employee’s physician of such medical condition in consultation with the Employer’s physician, (if requested), the employee will be permitted to access their sick bank, if any, during any outbreak period. If there is a dispute between the physicians, the employee will be placed on unpaid leave. If the employee gets sick as a reaction to the drug and applies for WSIB the Employer will not oppose the application. If an employee is pregnant and her physician believes the pregnancy could be in jeopardy as a result of the influenza inoculation and/or the antiviral medication she shall be eligible for sick leave in circumstances where she is not allowed to attend at work as a result of an outbreak.
Hepatitis B Vaccine Where the Hospital identifies high risk areas where employees are exposed to Hepatitis B, the Hospital will provide, at no cost to the employees, a Hepatitis B vaccine.
Physical/Occupational Therapy This plan covers physical and occupational therapy when: • ordered by a physician; • received from a licensed physical or occupational therapist; • a program is implemented to provide habilitative or rehabilitative services. See Autism Services when physical therapy and occupational therapy services are rendered as part of the treatment of autism spectrum disorder. The amount you pay and any benefit limit will be the same whether the services are provided for habilitative or rehabilitative purposes.
Organ Transplants This plan covers organ and tissue transplants when ordered by a physician, is medically necessary, and is not an experimental or investigational procedure. Examples of covered transplant services include but are not limited to: heart, heart-lung, lung, liver, small intestine, pancreas, kidney, cornea, small bowel, and bone marrow. Allogenic bone marrow transplant covered healthcare services include medical and surgical services for the matching participant donor and the recipient. However, Human Leukocyte Antigen testing is covered as indicated in the Summary of Medical Benefits. For details see Human Leukocyte Antigen Testing section. This plan covers high dose chemotherapy and radiation services related to autologous bone marrow transplantation to the extent required under R.I. Law § 27-20-60. See Experimental or Investigational Services in Section 3 for additional information. To speak to a representative in our Case Management Department please call 1-401- 000-0000 or 1-888-727-2300 ext. 2273. The national transplant network program is called the Blue Distinction Centers for Transplants. SM For more information about the Blue Distinction Centers for TransplantsSM call our Customer Service Department or visit our website. When the recipient is a covered member under this plan, the following services are also covered: • obtaining donated organs (including removal from a cadaver); • donor medical and surgical expenses related to obtaining the organ that are integral to the harvesting or directly related to the donation and limited to treatment occurring during the same stay as the harvesting and treatment received during standard post- operative care; and • transportation of the organ from donor to the recipient. The amount you pay for transplant services, for the recipient and eligible donor, is based on the type of service.
Communicable Disease Bodily injury" or "property damage" which arises out of the transmission of a communi- cable disease by an "insured";
Human Leukocyte Antigen Testing This plan covers human leukocyte antigen testing for A, B, and DR antigens once per member per lifetime to establish a member’s bone marrow transplantation donor suitability in accordance with R.I. General Law §27-20-36. The testing must be performed in a facility that is: • accredited by the American Association of Blood Banks or its successors; and • licensed under the Clinical Laboratory Improvement Act as it may be amended from time to time. At the time of testing, the person being tested must complete and sign an informed consent form that also authorizes the results of the test to be used for participation in the National Marrow Donor program.
Radiation Therapy/Chemotherapy Services This plan covers chemotherapy and radiation services. This plan covers respiratory therapy services. When respiratory services are provided in your home, as part of a home care program, durable medical equipment, supplies, and oxygen are covered as a durable medical equipment service.
Workplace Violence Prevention and Crisis Response (applicable to any Party and any subcontractors and sub-grantees whose employees or other service providers deliver social or mental health services directly to individual recipients of such services): Party shall establish a written workplace violence prevention and crisis response policy meeting the requirements of Act 109 (2016), 33 VSA §8201(b), for the benefit of employees delivering direct social or mental health services. Party shall, in preparing its policy, consult with the guidelines promulgated by the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration for Preventing Workplace Violence for Healthcare and Social Services Workers, as those guidelines may from time to time be amended. Party, through its violence protection and crisis response committee, shall evaluate the efficacy of its policy, and update the policy as appropriate, at least annually. The policy and any written evaluations thereof shall be provided to employees delivering direct social or mental health services. Party will ensure that any subcontractor and sub-grantee who hires employees (or contracts with service providers) who deliver social or mental health services directly to individual recipients of such services, complies with all requirements of this Section.
