Memorandum of Payment

MEMORANDUM OF PAYMENT

A Memorandum of Payment (MOP) is a pre-printed form which must be filed with the Board immediately after making the first payment of compensation to the employee for lost time (indemnity payments). A MOP must also be filed upon making a payment of compensation. A MOP is not filed in connection with medical payments (39-A M.R.S.A. §205(7)).

When filing a MOP, the adjuster should almost always check the notation for "voluntary payment pending investigation" in Box 20. Checking "accepted" in that box creates a compensation payment scheme, which means (1) the compensability of the injury cannot later be challenged, and (2) benefits cannot later be unilaterally suspended or reduced under the 21-day rule (39-A M.R.S.A. §205(9)(B)(1)) (see REDUCTION OR TERMINATION OF BENEFITS for further discussion on this matter).