Facility of payment.

If the board shall find that a member or other person entitled to a benefit is unable to care for his or her affairs because of illness or accident or because he or she is a minor, the board may direct that any benefit due him or her, unless claim shall have been made for the benefit by a duly appointed legal representative, be paid to his or her spouse, a child, a parent or other blood relative, or to a person with whom he or she resides. Any payment so made shall be a complete discharge of the liabilities of the plan for that benefit.

(Act 97-689, p. 1379, §11(10.03).