Whenever any active member of the police department, or any member *hereafter retired, on account of service, sickness or disability, not caused or brought on by dissipation or abuse, of which the board shall be judge, is confined in any hospital or in his or her home and, whether or not so confined, requires nursing, care, or attention, the board shall pay for the active member the necessary hospital, care, and nursing expenses of the member out of the fund; and the board may pay for the retired member hospital, care, and nursing expenses as are reasonable, in the board's discretion. The board may, at its discretion, elect, in lieu of paying some or all such expenses for the retired member, to reimburse the retired member for premiums the member has paid for medical insurance that supplements medicare, including premiums the member has paid for medicare part B coverage. The salary of the active member shall continue while he or she is necessarily confined to the hospital or home or elsewhere during the period of recuperation, as determined by the board, for a period not exceeding six months; after which period the other provisions of this chapter shall apply: PROVIDED, That the board in all cases may have the active or retired member suffering from such sickness or disability examined at any time by a licensed physician or physicians, to be appointed by the board, for the purpose of ascertaining the nature and extent of the sickness or disability, the physician or physicians to report to the board the result of the examination within three days thereafter. Any active or retired member who refuses to submit to such examination or examinations shall forfeit all his or her rights to benefits under this section: PROVIDED FURTHER, That the board shall designate the hospital and medical services available to the police officer who is sick or disabled.