§ 8-43-503 — Utilization review of health-care providers

(1) The general
assembly hereby finds and determines that health-care providers that provide
medical care or health-care services that are not reasonably necessary or not
reasonably appropriate according to accepted professional standards should not be
allowed to provide such services to workers' compensation claimants. The general
assembly, therefore, hereby declares that the purpose of the utilization review
process authorized in this section is to provide a mechanism to review medical care
or health-care services rendered pursuant to this article that may not be reasonably
necessary or reasonably appropriate according to accepted professional standards
and to provide a mechanism to prevent such health-care providers from providing
medical care or health-care services.

(2) The provisions relating to the procedures for utilization review found in
section 8-43-501 (2), (3), (4), (5)(a), (5)(c), and (5)(d) shall apply to utilization review
under this section. A unanimous vote by the committee created in section 8-43-501
(3) shall be required for a recommendation to the director that a health-care
provider not be allowed to provide medical care or health-care services to
claimants.

(3) Employers, insurers, claimants, or their representatives shall not dictate
to any physician the type or duration of treatment or degree of physical impairment.
Nothing in this subsection (3) shall be construed to abrogate any managed care or
cost containment measures authorized in articles 40 to 47 of this title.

Legislative History

Source: L. 94: Entire section added, p. 2003, � 7, effective July 1.