(a) Applicability. This section applies to a request to the division for medical fee dispute resolution (MFDR) as authorized by the Texas Workers' Compensation Act.
  (1) Dispute resolution requests must be resolved in accordance with the statutes and rules in effect at the time the request was filed.
  (2) In resolving disputes regarding the amount of payment due for health care determined to be medically necessary and appropriate for treatment of a compensable injury, the role of the division is to adjudicate the payment, given the relevant statutory provisions and division rules.
  (3) In accordance with Labor Code §504.055 a request for medical fee dispute resolution that involves a first responder's request for reimbursement of medical expenses paid by the first responder will be accelerated by the division and given priority. The first responder shall provide notice to the division that the request involves a first responder.
  (4) The 2020 amendments regarding electronic submission of dispute requests are effective February 22, 2021.
(b) Requestors. The following parties may be requestors in medical fee disputes:
  (1) the health care provider, or a qualified pharmacy processing agent, as described in Labor Code §413.0111, in a dispute over the reimbursement of a medical bill(s);
  (2) the health care provider in a dispute about the results of a division or insurance carrier audit or review which requires the health care provider to refund an amount for health care services previously paid by the insurance carrier;
  (3) the injured employee in a dispute involving an injured employee's request for reimbursement from the insurance carrier of medical expenses paid by the injured employee;
  (4) the injured employee when requesting a refund of the amount the injured employee paid to the health care provider in excess of a division fee guideline; or
  (5) a subclaimant in accordance with §140.6 of this title (relating to Subclaimant Status: Establishment, Rights, and Procedures), §140.7 of this title (relating to Health Care Insurer Reimbursement under Labor Code §409.0091), or §140.8 of this title (relating to Procedures for Health Care Insurers to Pursue Reimbursement of Medical Benefits under Labor Code §409.0091), as applicable.
(c) Requests. Requests for MFDR must be legible and filed in the form and manner prescribed by the division.
  (1) Timeliness. A requestor must timely file the request with the division or waive the right to MFDR. The division will deem a request to be filed on the date the division receives the request. A decision by the division that a request was not timely filed is not a dismissal and may be appealed pursuant to subsection (g) of this section.
    (A) A request for MFDR that does not involve issues identified in subparagraph (B) of this paragraph shall be filed no later than one year after the date(s) of service in dispute.
    (B) A request may be filed later than one year after the date(s) of service if:
      (i) a related compensability, extent of injury, or liability dispute under Labor Code Chapter 410 has been filed, the medical fee dispute shall be filed not later than 60 days after the date the requestor receives the final decision, inclusive of all appeals, on compensability, extent of injury, or liability;
      (ii) a medical dispute regarding medical necessity has been filed, the medical fee dispute must be filed not later than 60 days after the date the requestor received the final decision on medical necessity, inclusive of all appeals, related to the health care in dispute and for which the insurance carrier previously denied payment based on medical necessity; or
      (iii) the dispute relates to a refund notice issued pursuant to a division audit or review, the medical fee dispute must be filed not later than 60 days after the date of the receipt of a refund notice.
  (2) Health Care Provider or Pharmacy Processing Agent Request. The requestor must send the request to the division in the form and manner prescribed by the division by any mail service, personal delivery, or electronic transmission as described in §102.5 of this title. The request must include:
    (A) the name, address, and contact information of the requestor;
    (B) the name of the injured employee;
    (C) the date of the injury;
    (D) the date(s) of the service(s) in dispute;
    (E) the place of service;
    (F) the treatment or service code(s) in dispute;
    (G) the amount billed by the health care provider for the treatment(s) or service(s) in dispute;
    (H) the amount paid by the workers' compensation insurance carrier for the treatment(s) or service(s) in dispute;
    (I) the disputed amount for each treatment or service in dispute;
    (J) a copy of all medical bills related to the dispute, as described in §133.10 of this chapter (concerning Required Billing Forms/Formats) or §133.500 (concerning Electronic Formats for Electronic Medical Bill Processing) as originally submitted to the insurance carrier in accordance with this chapter, and a copy of all medical bills submitted to the insurance carrier for an appeal in accordance with §133.250 of this chapter (concerning Reconsideration for Payment of Medical Bills);
    (K) each explanation of benefits or e-remittance (collectively "EOB") related to the dispute as originally submitted to the health care provider in accordance with this chapter or, if no EOB was received, convincing documentation providing evidence of insurance carrier receipt of the request for an EOB;
    (L) when applicable, a copy of the final decision regarding compensability, extent of injury, liability and/or medical necessity for the health care related to the dispute;
    (M) a copy of all applicable medical records related to the dates of service in dispute;
    (N) a position statement of the disputed issue(s) that shall include:
      (i) the requestor's reasoning for why the disputed fees should be paid or refunded,
      (ii) how the Labor Code and division rules, including fee guidelines, impact the disputed fee issues, and
      (iii) how the submitted documentation supports the requestor's position for each disputed fee issue;
    (O) documentation that discusses, demonstrates, and justifies that the payment amount being sought is a fair and reasonable rate of reimbursement in accordance with §134.1 of this title (relating to Medical Reimbursement) or §134.503 of this title (relating to Pharmacy Fee Guideline) when the dispute involves health care for which the division has not established a maximum allowable reimbursement (MAR) or reimbursement rate, as applicable;
    (P) if the requestor is a pharmacy processing agent, a signed and dated copy of an agreement between the processing agent and the pharmacy clearly demonstrating the dates of service covered by the contract and a clear assignment of the pharmacy's right to participate in the MFDR process. The pharmacy processing agent may redact any proprietary information contained within the agreement; and
    (Q) any other documentation that the requestor deems applicable to the medical fee dispute.
  (3) Subclaimant Dispute Request.
    (A) A request made by a subclaimant under Labor Code §409.009 (relating to Subclaims) must comply with §140.6 of this title (concerning Subclaimant Status: Establishment, Rights, and Procedures) and submit the required documents to the division.
    (B) A request made by a subclaimant under Labor Code §409.0091 (relating to Reimbursement Procedures for Certain Entities) must comply with the document requirements of §140.8 of this title (concerning Procedures for Health Care Insurers to Pursue Reimbursement of Medical Benefits under Labor Code §409.0091) and submit the required documents to the division.
  (4) Injured Employee Dispute Request. An injured employee who has paid for health care may request MFDR of a refund or reimbursement request that has been denied. The injured employee must send the request to the division in the form and manner prescribed by the division by mail service, personal delivery, or electronic transmission as described in §102.5 of this title and must include:
    (A) the name, address, and contact information of the injured employee;
    (B) the date of the injury;
    (C) the date(s) of the service(s) in dispute;
    (D) a description of the services paid;
    (E) the amount paid by the injured employee;
    (F) the amount of the medical fee in dispute;
Cont'd...