(a) An insurance carrier may suspend temporary income benefits (TIBs) if an injured employee, without good cause, fails to attend a designated doctor examination.

(b) In the absence of a finding by the division to the contrary, an insurance carrier may presume that the injured employee did not have good cause to fail to attend the examination if by the day the examination was originally scheduled to occur the injured employee has both:

(1) failed to submit to the examination; and

(2) failed to contact the designated doctor's office to reschedule the examination.

(c) If the injured employee contacts the designated doctor within 21 days of the scheduled date of the missed examination to reschedule the examination, the designated doctor shall schedule the examination to occur as soon as possible, but not later than the 21st day after the injured employee contacted the doctor.

(d) If the injured employee fails to contact the designated doctor within 21 days of the scheduled date of the missed examination but wishes to reschedule the examination, the injured employee must request a new examination under § 127.1 of this title (relating to Requesting a Designated Doctor Examination).

(e) The insurance carrier shall reinstate TIBs effective as of the date the injured employee submitted to the rescheduled examination under subsection (c) of this section or the examination scheduled pursuant to the injured employee's request under subsection (d) of this section unless the report of the designated doctor indicates that the injured employee has reached MMI or is otherwise not eligible for income benefits. The re-initiation of TIBs shall occur no later than the seventh day following:

(1) the date the insurance carrier was notified that the injured employee submitted to the examination; or

(2) the date that the insurance carrier was notified that the division found that the injured employee had good cause for not attending the examination.

(f) An injured employee is not entitled to TIBs for a period during which the insurance carrier suspended benefits pursuant to this section unless the injured employee later submits to the examination and the division finds or the insurance carrier determines that the injured employee had good cause for failure to attend the examination.

(g) This section will become effective September 1, 2012.

The provisions of this §127.25 adopted to be effective February 1, 2011, 35 TexReg 11324; amended to be effective September 1, 2012, 37 TexReg 5422.