REVIEW OF MEDICAL FEE DISPUTES; BENEFIT REVIEW CONFERENCE

(a) This section applies only to a medical fee dispute that remains unresolved after any applicable review under Sections 413.031(b) through (i). (b) Subject to Subsection (e), a party to a medical fee dispute described by Subsection (a) must adjudicate the dispute in the manner required by Subchapter B, Chapter 410. (c) At a benefit review conference conducted under this section, the parties to the dispute may not resolve the dispute by negotiating fees that are inconsistent with any applicable fee guidelines adopted by the commissioner. (d) If issues remain unresolved after a benefit review conference, the parties may elect to engage in arbitration as provided by Section 410.104. (e) If arbitration is not elected as described by Subsection (d), a party to a medical fee dispute described by Subsection (a) is entitled to a contested case hearing. A hearing under this subsection shall be conducted by the State Office of Administrative Hearings in the manner provided for a contested case under Chapter 2001, Government Code. (f) The commissioner or the division may participate in a contested case hearing conducted under Subsection (e) if the hearing involves the interpretation of fee guidelines adopted by the commissioner. The division and the department are not considered to be parties to the medical fee dispute for purposes of this section. (g) Except as otherwise provided by this subsection, the nonprevailing party shall reimburse the division for the costs for services provided by the State Office of Administrative Hearings under this section. If the injured employee is the nonprevailing party, the insurance carrier shall reimburse the division for the costs for services provided by the State Office of Administrative Hearings under this section. The party required to reimburse the division under this subsection shall remit payment to the division not later than the 30th day after the date of receiving a bill or statement from the division. (h) The State Office of Administrative Hearings shall timely notify the division if a dispute is dismissed before issuance of a decision under this section. In the event of a dismissal, the party requesting the hearing, other than the injured employee, shall reimburse the division for the costs for services provided by the State Office of Administrative Hearings unless otherwise agreed by the parties. If the injured employee requested the hearing, the insurance carrier shall reimburse the division for the costs for services provided by the State Office of Administrative Hearings unless otherwise agreed by the parties. The responsible party shall remit payment to the division not later than the 30th day after the date of receiving a bill or statement from the division. (i) The State Office of Administrative Hearings shall identify the nonprevailing party and any costs for services provided by the office under this section in its final decision. Money collected by the division under this section shall be deposited in the general revenue fund to the credit of the Texas Department of Insurance operating account. (j) Interest on the amount of reimbursement required by this section that remains unpaid accrues at a rate provided by Section 401.023 beginning on the 45th day after the date the division submits the bill or statement to a party until the date the reimbursement is paid. Failure to pay the division as required by this section is an administrative violation under this subtitle. (k) The commissioner by rule shall establish procedures to enable the division to charge a party to a medical fee dispute, other than an injured employee, for the costs of services provided by the State Office of Administrative Hearings.