Title 8 . Labor and Workforce Development

Chapter 45 . Fishermen's Fund

Section 92. Selection of an independent medical examiner

8 AAC 45.092. Selection of an independent medical examiner

(a) The board will maintain a list of physicians' names for second independent medical evaluations. The names will be listed in categories based on the physician's designation of his or her specialty or particular type of practice and the geographic location of the physician's practice. A copy of the list is available upon request from the State of Alaska workers' compensation division, P.O. Box 25512, Juneau, Alaska 99802-5512.

(b) The list of physicians will be created as follows:

(1) The board or its designee will ask the Alaska Chiropractic Society, Alaska Dental Society, Alaska Optometric Society, and Alaska State Medical Association to make recommendations from within their respective specialties. The recommendations must be received by the board on or before November 1, 1989 and on or before November 1 of each year after that.

(2) By December 15 of each year, the board will publish a bulletin for the Workers' Compensation Manual, published by the department, listing the names of the physicians recommended by the Alaska Chiropractic Society, the Alaska Dental Society, the Alaska Optometric Society, and the Alaska State Medical Association as well as the names of independent medical examiners whose terms of appointment will expire in the following year. A copy of the bulletin is available upon request from the State of Alaska workers' compensation division, P.O. Box 25512, Juneau, Alaska 99802-5512.

(3) An attorney who meets the following criteria may, by March 1 of each year, submit a letter to the commissioner volunteering to serve on a panel to select physicians for inclusion on the board's list as described in (5) of this subsection. The attorney must

(A) be admitted to the practice of law in this or another state;

(B) have personally presented a total of five cases, no more than two of which were resolved by agreed settlements, for board decision during the calendar year preceding volunteering to serve on a panel; and

(C) in the calendar year preceding volunteering, have represented one class of litigants, either employee or employer, 90 percent of the time; based on the class of litigant that was represented 90 percent of the time, the commissioner will classify the attorney as either an employee or employer attorney.

(4) By May 1 of each year, the commissioner shall choose, from the attorneys who volunteered in accordance with (3) of this subsection, two employee attorneys and two employer attorneys to serve on a panel to select physicians for inclusion on the board's list of physicians. The panel shall meet and select physicians by August 1 of each year. The commissioner shall provide staff to schedule the panel's meetings, publish notice of the meetings, and arrange facilities or other support for the meeting to assist the panel, but the panel members may not be paid for their work or expenses for participating on the panel.

(5) The panel members shall vote, or abstain from voting, upon the physicians whose names were listed in the bulletin published under (2) of this subsection or are suggested by a panel member, even if the physician's name did not appear in the bulletin. A physician who receives three affirmative votes will be sent by the board or its designee an application and a letter asking if the physician is interested in performing second independent medical examinations. Unless the board determines that good cause exists to extend the time, within 60 days after the date of the board's letter the physician must submit

(A) a completed application listing the physician's education, training, work experience, specialty, and the particular discipline in which the physician is licensed, as well as the names and addresses of professional organizations that have certified the physician or in which the physician is an active member;

(B) a copy of or proof of the physician's current license from the appropriate licensing agency in the state in which the physician practices;

(C) a certificate of insurance for the physician's current and enforceable professional liability insurance for the services performed; the certificate of insurance must provide for 30-day prior notice to the board of cancellation, nonrenewal, or material change of the policy; and

(D) a certificate of insurance for the physician's workers' compensation insurance if the physician has employees; the certificate of insurance must provide for 30-day prior notice to the board of cancellation, nonrenewal, or material change of the policy.

(6) If the physician complies with (5) of this subsection, the physician's name will be added to the board's list of independent medical examiners, effective November 1 of that year. Except as provided in (7) of this subsection and (c) of this section, the physician's name will remain on the list for three years. After three years, the physician must be reselected in accordance with (5) of this subsection. If reselected, the physician will remain on the list unless

(A) three members of the panel described in (4) of this subsection recommend that the physician be removed from the list and the department determines that the removal of the physician is not inconsistent with this chapter; or

(B) the physician is removed from the list under (7) of this subsection or (c) of this section.

(7) Notwithstanding (d) of this section, the board may remove a physician's name from the list compiled in accordance with (6) of this subsection

(A) upon receipt of the physician's written notification that the physician no longer wants to perform second independent medical evaluations; or

(B) if, within 30 days after receipt of a written request, the physician does not annually submit a copy of or proof of licensing by the appropriate state agency, a certificate of insurance for professional liability insurance and, if required under AS 23.30, workers' compensation insurance.

(c) The board will, in its discretion, remove a physician's name from the list for

(1) the physician's repeated failure to

(A) timely file medical reports for treatment of injured workers;

(B) timely file written treatment plans when required by AS 23.30.095 (c); or

(C) provide medical services and examinations to injured workers;

(2) the physician's failure to comply with an order of the board;

(3) revocation by the appropriate licensing agency of the physician's license to provide services;

(4) decertification of or disciplinary action against the physician by an applicable certifying agency or professional organization;

(5) disciplinary action taken against the physician by the State Medical Board, a representative of Medicare or Medicaid, or a hospital, for fraud, abuse, or the quality of care provided;

(6) fraudulent billing or reporting by the physician;

(7) knowingly falsifying information on the physician's application;

(8) conviction of the physician in a state or federal court of any offense involving moral turpitude or drug abuse, including excessive prescription of drugs;

(9) unprofessional conduct or discriminatory treatment by the physician in the care and examination of patients;

(10) use of treatment by the physician which is not sanctioned by the physician's peers or national provider associations as beneficial for the injury or disease under treatment;

(11) declaration of the physician's mental incompetency by a court of competent jurisdiction;

(12) failure by the physician to maintain professional liability insurance or, if required, workers' compensation insurance; or

(13) failure by the physician to annually submit a certificate of insurance for professional liability insurance and, if required, workers' compensation insurance.

(d) Before removing a physician's name from the list,

(1) the board will notify the physician, in writing, either by personal service or by certified mail of the proposed removal and the reason for it;

(2) a physician who receives a notification under (1) of this subsection may, within 30 days after the receipt of the notice, file a written request with the board for a hearing in accordance with AS 23.30.110 ;

(3) the board will issue a written decision within 30 days after the hearing, or, if no hearing is requested, the board will issue a written decision within 45 days after the written notice of proposed removal; the board's decision will be served on the physician personally or by certified mail, and will state whether the physician's name was removed from the list and the reason for the removal.

(e) If the parties stipulate that a physician not on the board's list may perform an evaluation under AS 23.30.095 (k), the board or its designee may select a physician in accordance with the parties' agreement. If the parties do not stipulate to a physician not on the board's list to perform the evaluation, the board or its designee will select a physician to serve as an independent medical examiner to perform the evaluation. The board or its designee will consider these factors in the following order in selecting the physician:

(1) the nature and extent of the employee's injuries;

(2) the physician's specialty and qualifications;

(3) whether the physician or an associate has previously examined or treated the employee;

(4) the physician's experience in treating injured workers in this state or another state;

(5) the physician's impartiality; and

(6) the proximity of the physician to the employee's geographic location.

(f) If the board or its designee determines that the list of independent medical examiners does not include an impartial physician with the specialty, qualifications, and experience to examine the employee, the board or its designee will notify the employee and employer that a physician not named on the list will be selected to perform the examination. The notice will state the board's preferred physician's specialty to examine the employee. Within 10 days after notice by the board or its designee, the employer and employee may each submit the names, addresses, and curriculum vitae of no more than three physicians. If both the employee and the employer recommend the same physician, that physician will be selected to perform the examination. If no names are recommended by the employer or employee or if the employee and employer do not recommend the same physician, the board or its designee will select a physician, but the selection need not be from the recommendations by the employee or employer.

(g) If there exists a medical dispute under in AS 23.30.095 (k),

(1) the parties may file a

(A) completed second independent medical form, available from the division, listing the dispute together with copies of the medical records reflecting the dispute, and

(B) stipulation signed by all parties agreeing

(i) upon the type of speciality to perform the evaluation or the physician to perform the evaluation; and

(ii) that either the board or the board's designee determine whether a dispute under AS 23.30.095 (k) exists, and requesting the board or the board's designee to exercise discretion under AS 23.30.095 (k) and require an evaluation;

(2) a party may petition the board to order an evaluation; the petition must be filed within 60 days after the party received the medical reports reflecting a dispute, or the party's right to request an evaluation under AS 23.30.095 (k) is waived;

(A) the completed petition must be filed timely together with a completed second independent medical form, available from the division, listing the dispute; and

(B) copies of the medical records reflecting the dispute; or

(3) the board will, in its discretion, order an evaluation under AS 23.30.095 (k) even if no party timely requested an evaluation under (2) of this subsection if

(A) the parties stipulate, in accordance with (1) of this subsection, to the contrary and the board determines the evaluation is necessary; or

(B) the board on its own motion determines an evaluation is necessary.

(h) If the board requires an evaluation under AS 23.30.095 (k), the board will, in its discretion, direct

(1) a party to make two copies of all medical records, including medical providers' depositions, regarding the employee in the party's possession, put the copies in chronological order by date of treatment with the initial report on top and the most recent report at the end, number the copies consecutively, and put the copies in two separate binders;

(2) the party making the copies to serve the two binders of medical records upon the opposing party together with an affidavit verifying that the binders contain copies of all the medical reports relating to the employee in the party's possession;

(3) the party served with the binders to review the copies of the medical records to determine if the binders contain copies of all the employee's medical records in that party's possession. The party served with the binders must file the two binders with the board within 10 days of receipt and, if the binders are

(A) complete, the party served with the binders must file the two sets of binders upon the board together with an affidavit verifying that the binders contain copies of all the employee's medical records in the party's possession; or

(B) incomplete, the party served with the binders must file the two binders upon the board together with two supplemental binders with copies of the medical records in that party's possession that were missing from the binders and an affidavit verifying that the binders contain copies of all medical records in the party's possession. The copies of the medical records in the supplemental binders must be placed in chronological order by date of treatment and numbered consecutively. The party must also serve the party who prepared the first set of binders with a copy of the supplemental binder together with an affidavit verifying that the binder is identical to the supplemental binders filed with the board;

(4) the party, who receives additional medical records after the two binders have been prepared and filed with the board, to make three copies of the additional medical records, put the copies in three separate binders in chronological order by date of treatment, and number the copies consecutively. The party must file two of the additional binders with the board within seven days after receiving the medical records. The party must serve one of the additional binders on the opposing party, together with an affidavit stating the binder is identical to the binders filed with the board, within seven days after receiving the medical records.

(i) The report of the physician who is serving as an independent medical examiner must be done within 14 days after the evaluation ends. The evaluation ends when the physician reviews the medical records provided by the board, receives the results of all consultations and tests, and examines the injured worker, if that is necessary. The board will presume the evaluation ended after the injured worker was examined. If the evaluation ended at a later date, the physician must state in the report the date the evaluation was done. An examiner's report must be received by the board within 21 days after the evaluation ended. If an examiner's report is not timely received by the board, a party may file a petition asking that another physician be selected to serve as an independent medical examiner. The board or its designee will, in its discretion, select another physician to serve as an independent medical examiner, and will make the selection in accordance with this section. Until the parties receive the second independent medical examiner's written report, communications by and with the second independent medical examiner are limited, as follows:

(1) a party or a party's representative and the examiner may communicate as needed to schedule or change the scheduling of the examination;

(2) the employee and the examiner may communicate as necessary to complete the examination;

(3) the examiner's communications with a physician who has examined, treated, or evaluated the employee must be in writing, and a copy of the written communication must be sent to the board and the parties; the examiner must request the physician report in writing and request that the physician not communicate in any other manner with the examiner about the employee's condition, treatment or claim.

(j) After a party receives an examiner's report, communication with the examiner is limited as follows and must be in accord with this subsection. If a party wants the opportunity to

(1) submit interrogatories or depose the examiner, the party must

(A) file with the board and serve upon the examiner and all parties, within 30 days after receiving the examiner's report, a notice of scheduling a deposition or copies of the interrogatories; if notice or the interrogatories are not served in accordance with this paragraph, the party waives the right to question the examiner unless the opposing party gives timely notice of scheduling a deposition or serves interrogatories; and

(B) initially pay the examiner's charges to respond to the interrogatories or for being deposed; after a hearing and in accordance with AS 23.30.145 or AS 23.30.155 (d), the charges may be awarded as costs to the prevailing party;

(2) communicate with the examiner regarding the evaluation or report, the party must communicate in writing, serve the other parties with a copy of the written communication at the same time the communication is sent or personally delivered to the examiner, and file a copy of the written communication with the board; or

(3) question the examiner at a hearing, the party must initially pay the examiner's fee for testifying; after a hearing and in accordance with AS 23.30.145 or AS 23.30.155 (d), the board will, in its discretion, award the examiner's fee as costs to the prevailing party.

(k) If a party's communication with an examiner is not in accordance with (j) of this section, the board may not admit the evidence obtained by the communication at a hearing and may not consider it in connection with an agreed settlement.

History: Eff. 7/1/88, Register 107; am 10/28/88, Register 108; am 3/16/90, Register 113; am 7/20/97, Register 143; am 7/2/98, Register 146; am 2/27/2000, Register 153; am 3/13/2004, Register 169

Authority: AS 23.30.005

AS 23.30.095