25. a. The commissioner shall establish standards for the certification of medical review organizations, which shall include standards of performance formulated by the commissioner in consultation with the Commissioner of Health and Senior Services. The standards of performance shall set forth procedures to ensure a timely and impartial review of the medical records of the injured person by a medical review organization, including, but not limited to, a review of the necessity or appropriateness of treatments for injuries, including diagnostic tests, sustained in an automobile accident. The commissioner shall establish standards for persons conducting the medical review, including standards with respect to credentials, experience, licensure, fees, and confidentiality. The standards shall include a requirement that all persons performing reviews are New Jersey licensed or certified health care providers, and a requirement that any medical review panel contain a health care provider licensed or certified in the same profession as the treating health care provider and that it contain a sufficient representation of reviewers to judge the appropriateness of treatment or treatments in dispute, including, but not limited to, the medical necessity of such treatments, appropriateness of the protocols used by the treating provider, issues regarding causality and preexisting conditions, the appropriateness and efficacy of diagnostic tests performed in connection with the diagnosis, and whether the diagnostic tests meet the requirements established by the commissioner. The commissioner may contract with a consultant for the formulation of the standards governing the certification of the persons conducting the medical reviews. The commissioner shall not advertise for bids for the consultant, as provided in sections 3 and 4 of P.L.1954, c.48 (C. 52:34-8 and 52:34-9).

b. Before certifying a medical review organization to receive referrals from dispute resolution proceedings, the commissioner shall determine that the organization has a sufficient number of qualified health care providers, by specialty, to perform the reviews, has a satisfactory procedure for maintaining the confidentiality of medical records, is not owned or controlled by an insurer, and has met any other requirements established by the commissioner.

c. The medical review organization shall establish and utilize written review procedures, which shall be filed with the commissioner. Every determination made by a medical review organization shall be in writing and shall be retained by the organization for a period of no less than five years.

d. The medical review organization may review the medical treatment or treatments in dispute to determine whether: (1) the treatment or diagnostic test being given for the injury or the services provided in connection with the injury is medically necessary; (2) the treatment is in accordance with or compatible with medically recognized standard protocols, professional standards, and commonly accepted medical practice in the same health care discipline as the treating provider; (3) the treatment is consistent with the symptoms or diagnosis of the injury; (4) the treatment or health care service is related to the injury sustained in the insured event, or is required for the diagnosis, evaluation or confirmation of the injury; (5) the treatment is of a palliative, rather than restorative, nature; and (6) medical procedures, treatment, or testing which have been repeated are medically necessary and consistent with standard practice.

e. Cases referred by a dispute resolution professional for medical review shall be referred to appropriate certified medical reviewers affiliated with the certified medical review organization by a dispute resolution organization. The dispute resolution organization shall forward the referrals to certified medical reviewers on a random basis, so that there is a relatively equal apportionment among all medical reviewers. Referrals shall be made in such a manner so as not to disclose to the medical reviewers the identity of the insurer, nor shall the identity of the reviewer be disclosed to the insurer.

f. When appropriate in the context of its review of services or treatments under dispute, a medical reviewer may request and shall receive a written report or copy of the provider’s records regarding the case history, treatment dates, or the dates diagnostic tests or other services were performed, and the provider’s projected treatment plan. The injured person or provider, as applicable, shall provide or make available to the medical reviewer any pertinent medical records or medical history which the medical reviewer may request. The medical reviewer shall complete its review and make a determination within 20 business days of receipt of all of the requested information from the dispute resolution professional or provider, as the case may be. The medical reviewer shall submit its determination in writing to the referring dispute resolution organization, which shall forward it to the dispute resolution professional.

g. The cost of the proceedings shall be apportioned by the dispute resolution professional. Fees shall be determined to be reasonable if they are consonant with the amount of the award, in accordance with a schedule established by the New Jersey Supreme Court. If the treatment, diagnostic test, or service performed is not determined to be medically necessary or appropriate, the injured person shall not be liable to pay the provider the disputed amount.

L.1998,c.21,s.25.