The State Compensation Insurance Fund may enter into a master agreement with the Department of Human Resources to render services in the adjustment and disposition of claims for workers’ compensation to any state agencies, including any officer, department, division, bureau, commission, board or authority, not insured with the fund. The master agreement shall provide for rendition of services at a uniform rate to all agencies, except that the rate for the Department of the California Highway Patrol may be fixed independently of the uniform rate.

The fund may, in accordance with the agreement, adjust and dispose of claims for workers’ compensation made by an officer or employee of any state agency not insured with the fund. The fund may make all expenditures, including payment to claimants for medical care or for adjustment or settlement of claims, necessary to the adjustment and final disposition of claims. The agreement shall provide that the state agency whose officer or employee is a claimant shall reimburse the fund for the expenditures and for the actual cost of services rendered.

The fund may in its own name, or in the name of the state agency for which the services are performed, do any and all things necessary to recover on behalf of the state agency for which it renders service any and all amounts which an employer might recover from third persons under

Chapter 5 (commencing with

Section 3850) of Part of Division of the Labor Code, or which an insurer might recover pursuant to

Section including the right to commence and prosecute actions, to file, pursuant to

Chapter 5 (commencing with

Section 3850) of Part of Division of the Labor Code, liens for whatever sums would be recoverable by suit against a third person, to intervene in other court proceedings, and to compromise claims and actions before or after commencement of suit or after entry of judgment when in the opinion of the fund full collection cannot be enforced.