If an injured employee who is covered by a managed care program established in accordance with RSA 281-A:23-a is dissatisfied with a determination made by such program relating to compensability, degree of disability or degree of impairment arising from an injury, the injured employee may apply to the commissioner for authorization to obtain an independent examination and report thereof by a duly qualified health care provider, in accordance with RSA 281-A:38, of the injured employee's choice. The commissioner shall grant one such authorization as a matter of course. Authorization for additional independent examination regarding the same injury may be granted only if the commissioner finds that exceptional circumstances exist which cast reasonable doubt on the accuracy of the report of the first independent examination. The health care provider conducting an independent examination authorized by the commissioner under this section shall be entitled to a reasonable fee therefor, which shall be paid by the employer or the employer's insurance carrier. Nothing in this section shall be construed to prevent an injured employee from obtaining an examination by a health care provider of the injured employee's choice, at the employee's expense.
RSA 281-A:38-a
1993, 311:2. 1996, 231:2, eff. Aug. 9, 1996.