(a) Basic rule. Pursuant to the general duty of third party payers under 10 U.S.C. 1095(a)(1) and the definitions of 10 U.S.C. 1095(h), a workers' compensation program or plan generally has an obligation to pay the United States the reasonable charges for healthcare services provided in or through any facility of the Uniformed Services to a Uniformed Services beneficiary who is also a beneficiary under a workers' compensation program due to an employment related injury, illness, or disease. Except to the extent modified or supplemented by this section, all provisions of this part are applicable to any workers' compensation program or plan in the same manner as they are applicable to any other third party payer.

(b) Special rules for lump-sum settlements. In cases in which a lump-sum workers' compensation settlement is made, the special rules established in this paragraph (b) shall apply for purposes of compliance with this section.

(1) Lump-sum commutation of future benefits. If a lump-sum worker's compensation award stipulates that the amount paid is intended to compensate the individual for all future medical expenses required because of the work-related injury, illness, or disease, the Uniformed Service health care facility is entitled to reimbursement for injury, illness, or disease related, future health care services or items rendered or provided to the individual up to the amount of the lump-sum payment.

(2) Lump-sum compromise settlement.

(i) A lump sum compromise settlement, unless otherwise stipulated by an official authorized to take action under 10 U.S.C. 1095 and this part, is deemed to be a workers' compensation payment for the purpose of reimbursement to the facility of the Uniformed Services for services and items provided, even if the settlement agreement stipulates that there is no liability under the workers' compensation law, program, or plan.

(ii) If a settlement appears to represent an attempt to shift to the facility of the Uniformed Services the responsibility of providing uncompensated services or items for the treatment of the work-related condition, the settlement will not be recognized and reimbursement to the uniformed health care facility will be required. For example, if the parties to a settlement attempt to maximize the amount of disability benefits paid under workers' compensation by releasing the employer or workers' compensation carrier from liability for medical expenses for a particular condition even though the facts show that the condition is work-related, the facility of the Uniformed Services must be reimbursed.

(iii) Except as specified in paragraph (b)(2)(iv) of this section, if a lump-sum compromise settlement forecloses the possibility of future payment or workers' compensation benefits, medical expenses incurred by a facility of the Uniformed Services after the date of the settlement are not reimbursable under this section.

(iv) As an exception to the rule of paragraph (b)(2)(iii) of this section, if the settlement agreement allocates certain amounts for specific future medical services, the facility of the Uniformed Services is entitled to reimbursement for those specific services and items provided resulting from the work-related injury, illness, or disease up to the amount of the lump-sum settlement allocated to future expenses.

(3) Apportionment of a lump-sum compromise settlement of a workers' compensation claim. If a compromise settlement allocates a portion of the payment for medical expenses and also gives reasonable recognition to the income replacement element, that apportionment may be accepted as a basis for determining the payment obligation of a workers' compensation program or plan under this section to a facility of the Uniformed Services. If the settlement does not give reasonable recognition to both elements of a workers' compensation award or does not apportion the sum granted, the portion to be considered as payment for medical expenses is computed as follows: determine the ratio of the amount awarded (less the reasonable and necessary costs incurred in procuring the settlement) to the total amount that would have been payable under workers' compensation if the claim had not been compromised; multiply that ratio by the total medical expenses incurred as a result of the injury or disease up to the date of settlement. The product is the amount of workers' compensation settlement to be considered as payment or reimbursement for medical expenses.

[65 FR 7730, Feb. 16, 2000, as amended at 67 FR 57742, Sept. 12, 2002]