Thomas J. Bolch, Commissioner
James J. Booker, Commissioner
Dianne C. Sellers, Commissioner
J. Howard Bunn Jr., Chairman
Coy M. Vance, Commissioner
J. Randolph Ward, Jr., Commissioner
| Bernadine S. Ballance,
Commissioner Thomas J. Bolch, Commissioner James J. Booker, Commissioner Dianne C. Sellers, Commissioner |
|
James B. Hunt Jr., Governor J. Howard Bunn Jr., Chairman Coy M. Vance, Commissioner J. Randolph Ward, Jr., Commissioner |
North Carolina
Industrial Commission
FEES FOR SEARCHING, HANDLING, COPYING, AND MAILING MEDICAL RECORDS & REPORTS
JANUARY 12, 1995
Pursuant to the provisions of N.C. Gen. Stat. §97-26.1 and N.C. Gen. Stat. §90-411 and the powers bestowed thereby, the Industrial Commission hereby adopts the schedule below which provides the maximum fees for the searching, handling, copying, and mailing of medical records and reports related to claims under Article 1 of Chapter 97 of the General Statutes as follows:
A health care provider, or its agent, may charge a reasonable fee to cover the costs incurred in searching, handling, copying, and mailing medical records to plaintiffs, or their attorneys; defendant employers, adjusting agencies, insurance carriers, or their attorneys; and rehabilitation nurses. But in no event shall the maximum fee for the first forty pages exceed fifty cents ($.50) per page, provided that the health care provider, or its agent, may impose a minimum fee of up to ten dollars ($10.00), inclusive of copying costs. The maximum fee for each copy after the first forty pages shall be twenty cents ($.20) per page.
However, health care providers shall provide without charge to the first requesting party among the following: employers, carriers, third party adjusting agencies, and rehabilitation nurses medical reports as required by Article 1 of Chapter 97 of the General Statutes. Second and subsequent requests for medical reports previously provided without charge shall be subject to the provisions of the 2nd paragraph of these Minutes relating to costs for copies of medical reports.
Upon agreement by the parties, medical records may be introduced into evidence in lieu of live testimony. Therefore, prompt provision of the medical reports may alleviate the inconvenience to health care providers, particularly physicians, of providing live testimony.
These Minutes supersede the Minutes adopted by the Commission on September 1, 1994.
This schedule is applicable to claims pending on or filed after February 1, 1995.
S/
J. Howard Bunn Jr.
Chairman
| S/ Bernadine S. Ballance Commissioner |
S/ |
| S/ Thomas J. Bolch Commissioner |
S/ |
| S/ James J. Booker Commissioner |
S/ |
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