Matter of Wilson

911 P.2d 754, 128 Idaho 161
CourtIdaho Supreme Court
DecidedFebruary 16, 1996
Docket21385, 21386
StatusPublished
Cited by32 cases

This text of 911 P.2d 754 (Matter of Wilson) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Idaho Supreme Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Matter of Wilson, 911 P.2d 754, 128 Idaho 161 (Idaho 1996).

Opinion

911 P.2d 754 (1996)
128 Idaho 161

In the Matter of David WILSON, Claimant.
BOISE ORTHOPEDIC CLINIC, Provider-Respondent,
v.
IDAHO STATE INSURANCE FUND, Payor-Appellant.
In the Matter of Frank FORD, Claimant.
BOISE ORTHOPEDIC CLINIC, Provider-Respondent,
v.
IDAHO STATE INSURANCE FUND, Payor-Appellant.

Nos. 21385, 21386.

Supreme Court of Idaho.

February 16, 1996.

Evans, Keane, Boise, for Appellant.

*755 SILAK, Justice.

These cases, which have been consolidated for the purposes of appeal, are appeals by the Idaho State Insurance Fund (SIF) from final decisions and orders of the Industrial Commission of the State of Idaho. In both cases, the Boise Orthopedic Clinic (BOC) *756 billed the SIF for surgical assistant services performed on two claimants' work-related injuries. The SIF asserted that these amounts were above the reasonable amount for such services and denied payment for the amounts it determined unreasonable. In both instances, the Industrial Commission (Commission) either approved or partially approved the disputed amounts and ordered the SIF to pay the approved amounts.

The SIF appealed. We affirm.

I.

FACTS AND PROCEDURAL BACKGROUND

Occasionally, a surgical procedure requires some skilled assistance but not necessarily that of another surgeon. In such a case either a registered nurse or a certified operating room technician will be used. These "non-physician surgical assists" (surgical assists) reduce operating time and the risk of surgical complications while optimizing the surgical treatment by assuring the availability of the appropriate implants and instruments.

A. In the Matter of Frank Ford.

BOC performed a surgical repair of Frank Ford's torn left rotator cuff. Since Ford's injury resulted from a work-related accident, BOC billed the SIF $2,173.50 for this procedure. This bill included a surgical assist charge of $283.50. BOC billed for its surgical assist at 15% of the underlying procedure.

The SIF determined that the underlying surgery exceeded the usual and customary charge by $127.00, and that the surgical assist exceeded the usual and customary charge by $107.20. The SIF issued a preliminary objection and paid BOC the undisputed portion of the bill ($1,939,30).

BOC filed a motion for approval of disputed medical charges with the Commission. BOC noted that the service was not frequently documented by BOC and thus sufficient documentation was not available to show that the charge was consistent with the amount charged to non-industrial patients. However, in support of its motion BOC submitted: a copy of the bill to the SIF; a copy of a bill issued to a non-industrial patient; and a copy of a payment received on behalf of an unidentified patient with handwritten Current Procedural Terminology (CPT) codes identifying different procedures.

The Commission noted that BOC submitted no evidence as to whether the charges would be allowed by a hospital or professional service corporation. However, finding that the surgical assist was exceptional, unusual, variable, rarely provided, or new, the Commission employed a standard whereby reasonableness is determined on all relevant evidence. As a result, it found that BOC's statement of consistent billing made in its demand for payment letter "permit[ted] the inference that the disputed charges" were BOC's usual charges. The Commission entered an administrative order finding that the surgical charge did not exceed the usual and customary charge. The Commission also found that although the surgical assist did not exceed BOC's usual charge, the amount did exceed the maximum customary charge allowed ($257.00) based on the Commission's compilation of charges. (A subsequent amendment enlarged the data base from October 1992-March 1993 to July 1992-March 1993.) Payment for the surgical assist was ordered in the amount which did not exceed the maximum customary charge.

The SIF filed a motion for reconsideration and a motion to present additional evidence. It renewed its position that BOC did not submit sufficient, competent evidence to support its contention that the charges were "usual and customary." It also requested limited discovery of BOC and other providers as to their "usual charges" for two reasons. First, such information was not available to the SIF. Second, such information was needed for proper consideration of "all relevant evidence" as to the reasonableness of the disputed charges.

The Commission denied the SIF's motion to present additional evidence because it viewed the motion as an attempt to establish the Relative Value Schedule (RVS) as the basis for determining whether the SIF's reimbursement rate was reasonable. The Commission noted that the proper focus was *757 upon the reasonableness of the provider's charge, not the reasonableness of the payor's reimbursement. The Commission granted the motion to reconsider, but after a de novo review upheld the administrative decision and ordered payment. The SIF appealed.

B. In the Matter of David Wilson.

BOC performed an arthroscopic decompression of the subacromial space with a partial ostectomy on David Wilson's shoulder and a fasciotomy with a partial ostectomy on his elbow. Since Wilson's injury resulted from a work-related accident, BOC billed the SIF $3,121.38. Included in this bill was a charge for a surgical assist on the shoulder surgery ($301.88) and a similar charge for the elbow surgery ($107.00). These charges were based on 15% of the underlying procedure.

The SIF determined that the amounts charged for the surgical assists exceeded the usual and customary charge by $100.63 for the shoulder surgery and $37.00 for the elbow surgery. BOC received an explanation of benefits and was paid the undisputed portion of its bill ($2,983.75).

BOC filed a motion for approval of disputed medical charges with the Commission. In support of its motion, BOC submitted: its bill with the disputed charge; a copy of an explanation of benefits from an unnamed payor containing handwritten CPT codes; and a copy of an explanation of benefits from Idaho Power with a handwritten CPT entry.

The Commission noted that BOC submitted no evidence that a hospital or professional service corporation would allow the charges. However, the Commission found that BOC's demand for payment letter permitted the inference that the disputed charges were its usual charges. As a result, the documentation provided and the Commission's compilation of charges from October 1992 to March 1993 supported the conclusion that the disputed charges were reasonable. (Again, a subsequent amendment enlarged the range to July 1992—March 1993.)

The SIF filed a motion to reconsider and a motion to present additional evidence. The Commission denied both motions. Since the Commission had not adopted RVS or a standard which focused on the reasonableness of the reimbursement rate, it felt evidence of such standards was irrelevant. The Commission focused on the reasonableness of BOC's charges and found they were supported by sufficient evidence. The SIF appealed.

These two cases were consolidated for the purpose of appeal. After the SIF filed its notice of appeal, BOC sought and received a waiver from further participation in these proceedings.

II.

ISSUES ON APPEAL

1. Whether the Commission erred when it considered the evidence submitted by BOC.
2.

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
911 P.2d 754, 128 Idaho 161, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/matter-of-wilson-idaho-1996.