§460.83. Independent review; judicial appeal

            Within sixty calendar days of an independent reviewer's decision, either party to the dispute may file suit in any court having jurisdiction to review the independent reviewer's decision and to recover any funds awarded by the independent reviewer to the other party. Any claim concerning an independent reviewer's decision not brought within sixty calendar days of the decision shall be barred indefinitely. Suits filed pursuant to this Section shall be conducted in accordance with applicable provisions of the Code of Civil Procedure, and the review by the court will be de novo without regard to the independent reviewer's decision. The independent reviewer and any person who assisted the independent reviewer in reaching a decision shall be prohibited from testifying at the court proceeding considering the independent reviewer's decision. Venue shall be proper in the district court for the parish where either the healthcare provider or the managed care organization is domiciled, and the district court for that parish has exclusive jurisdiction thereof. If the dispute between the parties is not fully resolved prior to the entry of a final decision by the court initially hearing the dispute, then the prevailing party shall be entitled to an award of reasonable attorney fees and expenses from the nonprevailing party. For purposes of this Section, "reasonable attorney fees" means the number of hours reasonably expended on the dispute multiplied by a reasonable hourly rate, and shall not exceed ten percent of the total monetary amount in dispute or five hundred dollars, whichever amount is greater.

            Acts 2017, No. 349, §2.