Page 1 of 1
342.794 "B" reader list -- Consensus classifications -- Report evaluating physicians
on list -- Removal of physicians.
(1) The commissioner shall maintain a list of duly qualified "B" reader physicians who
are licensed in the Commonwealth. The list shall include "B" reader physicians at <br>the university medical schools and other "B" reader physicians certified by the <br>National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) who have agreed to <br>interpret chest X-rays pursuant to KRS 342.316 for a fee to be fixed by the <br>commissioner and paid by the Kentucky coal workers' pneumoconiosis fund, the <br>provisions of KRS 342.1242 notwithstanding.
(2) Physicians from the "B" reader list shall be utilized as necessary to obtain consensus
classifications of chest films in coal workers' pneumoconiosis claims. The <br>consensus classification shall be presumed to be the correct classification of the <br>employee's condition unless overcome by clear and convincing evidence. If an <br>administrative law judge finds that the presumption of correctness of the consensus <br>reading has been overcome, the reasons shall be specially stated in the <br>administrative law judge's order.
(3) "'B' reader" means a physician who has demonstrated proficiency in evaluating
chest roentgenograms for roentgenographic quality and in the use of the ILO <br>classification for interpreting chest roentgenograms for pneumoconiosis and other <br>diseases by taking and passing a specially designed proficiency examination given <br>on behalf of the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) or <br>by the Appalachian Laboratory for Occupational Safety and Health (ALOSH), or <br>successors.
(4) The university medical schools in consultation with the commissioner shall jointly
develop a procedure to annually report the performance of physicians on the "B" <br>reader list who have participated in the consensus procedure established in KRS <br>342.316. The physicians shall be evaluated with respect to the timeliness and <br>completeness of their reports, as well as the frequency at which the physician's <br>classification of X-rays differs from the consensus reading. The commissioner shall <br>remove a physician from the "B" reader list if the physician consistently renders <br>incomplete or untimely reports, or if the physician's interpretations of X-rays are not <br>in conformity with the consensus reading fifty percent (50%) of the time. The report <br>required under this subsection shall be provided to the Interim Joint Committee on <br>Labor and Industry beginning in July 1, 2003 and by July 1 of each year thereafter.
Effective: July 15, 2010 <br>History: Amended 2010 Ky. Acts ch. 24, sec. 1852, effective July 15, 2010. -- Created
2002 Ky. Acts ch. 340, sec. 5, effective July 15, 2002.
Disclaimer: These codes may not be the most recent version. Kentucky may have more current or accurate information. We make no warranties or guarantees about the accuracy, completeness, or adequacy of the information contained on this site or the information linked to on the state site. Please check official sources.
