NRS616C.135. Liability of insurer for payment of charges for treatment related to industrial injury or occupational disease; acceptance of payment by provider of health care from injured employee or health or casualty insurer for treatment that was erroneously denied.

      1.  A provider of health care who accepts a patient as a referral for the treatment of an industrial injury or an occupational disease may not charge the patient for any treatment related to the industrial injury or occupational disease, but must charge the insurer. The provider of health care may charge the patient for any services that are not related to the employee’s industrial injury or occupational disease.

      2.  The insurer is liable for the charges for approved services related to the industrial injury or occupational disease if the charges do not exceed:

      (a) The fees established in accordance with NRS 616C.260 or the usual fee charged by that person or institution, whichever is less; and

      (b) The charges provided for by the contract between the provider of health care and the insurer or the contract between the provider of health care and the organization for managed care.

      3.  A provider of health care may accept payment from an injured employee or from a health or casualty insurer paying on behalf of the injured employee pursuant to NRS 616C.138 for treatment or other services that the injured employee alleges are related to the industrial injury or occupational disease.

      4.  If a provider of health care, an organization for managed care, an insurer or an employer violates the provisions of this section, the Administrator shall impose an administrative fine of not more than $250 for each violation.

      (Added to NRS by 1983, 1291; A 1985, 574; 1991, 2407; 1993, 715; 2001, 1894, 2738, 2742; 2005, 237, 1265)