(a) Subsequent Quarter Determination. After the Division has made a determination of entitlement or non-entitlement for supplemental income benefits for the first quarter, the insurance carrier shall make determinations for subsequent quarters consistent with the provisions contained in §130.102 of this title (relating to Eligibility for Supplemental Income Benefits; Amount). The insurance carrier shall issue a determination of entitlement or non-entitlement within 10 days after receipt of the Application for Supplemental Income Benefits for a subsequent quarter.
(b) Application for Supplemental Income Benefits. An injured employee claiming entitlement to supplemental income benefits for a subsequent quarter must send the insurance carrier an Application for Supplemental Income Benefits as required under this section. With the first monthly payment of supplemental income benefits for any eligible quarter and with any insurance carrier determination of non-entitlement, the insurance carrier shall send the injured employee a copy of the Application for Supplemental Income Benefits and the proper address to file the subsequent application. On the Application for Supplemental Income Benefits sent by the insurance carrier, the insurance carrier shall include:
  (1) the number of the applicable quarter;
  (2) the dates of the qualifying period;
  (3) the dates of the quarter;
  (4) the deadline for filing the application with the insurance carrier; and
  (5) the minimum number of work search efforts required by §130.102(d)(1) and (f) of this title (relating to Eligibility for Supplemental Income Benefits; Amount) during the next qualifying period.
(c) Filing the Application for Supplemental Income Benefits. The employee shall file the Application for Supplemental Income Benefits and any applicable documentation with the insurance carrier by first class mail, personal delivery or electronic transmission. Except as otherwise provided in this section, the Application for Supplemental Income Benefits shall be filed no later than seven days before, and no earlier than 20 days before, the beginning of the quarter for which the injured employee is applying for supplemental income benefits. If the Application for Supplemental Income Benefits is received by the insurance carrier more than 20 days before the beginning of the quarter, the insurance carrier shall return the form to the injured employee with detailed instructions on when the form is required to be filed. Any form returned to the injured employee because the form was filed early shall not be subject to the provisions of §130.108 of this title (relating to Contesting Entitlement to Supplemental Income Benefits).
(d) Date-Stamp. Upon receipt, the insurance carrier shall date-stamp all Application for Supplemental Income Benefits forms with the date the insurance carrier received the form.
(e) Notice of Determination. Upon making subsequent quarter determinations, the insurance carrier shall issue a notice of determination to the injured employee. The notice shall be sent by first class mail, personal delivery or electronic transmission and shall contain all the information required in the Notice of Entitlement or Non-entitlement portion of the Application for Supplemental Income Benefits. The notice of determination of non-entitlement shall contain sufficient claim specific information to enable the employee to understand the reason for the insurance carrier's determination. A generic statement such as "failure to satisfy the compliance standards of Labor Code §408.1415", "not a direct result", or similar phrases without further explanation does not satisfy the requirements of this section.
(f) Accrual date. If the injured employee is entitled to supplemental income benefits for a subsequent quarter, the benefits begin to accrue on the later of:
  (1) the first day of the applicable quarter; or
  (2) the date the Application for Supplemental Income Benefits is received by the insurance carrier, subject to the provisions of §130.105 of this title (relating to Failure to Timely File Application for Supplemental Income Benefits; Subsequent Quarters).
(g) Changes in Amount. A change in the monthly amount of supplemental income benefits from one quarter to the next does not constitute a dispute subject to §130.108 of this title (relating to Contesting Entitlement to Supplemental Income Benefits). An insurance carrier that does not contest the entitlement to supplemental income benefits for a subsequent quarter, but determines a different monthly amount is due, shall:
  (1) send the notice as required in subsection (e) of this section;
  (2) include instructions about the procedures for contesting the insurance carrier's determination as provided by §130.108 of this title (relating to Contesting Entitlement to Supplemental Income Benefits); and
  (3) issue payment based on the newly calculated amount.

Source Note: The provisions of this §130.104 adopted to be effective January 31, 1999, 24 TexReg 399; amended to be effective July 1, 2009, 34 TexReg 2138