845 IAC 1-6-2 Fees for services

Sec. 2. (a) Fees charged by a podiatrist for his professional services shall be reasonable and shall reasonably compensate the podiatrist only for services actually rendered. (b) A podiatrist shall not enter into an agreement for, charge, or collect an illegal or clearly excessive fee. Factors to be considered in determining the reasonableness of a fee include, but are not limited to, the following: (1) the difficulty and/or uniqueness of the services performed and the time, skill and experience required; (2) the fee customarily charged in the locality for similar practitioner services; (3) the amount of charges involved; (4) the quality of performance; (5) the nature and length of the professional relationship with the patient; and (6) the experience, reputation and ability of the practitioner in performing the kind of services involved. (c) A podiatrist shall not divide a fee for professional services with another practitioner who is not a partner, employee, or shareholder in a professional corporation, unless: (1) the patient consents to the employment of the other practitioner after a full disclosure that a division of fees will be made; and (2) the division of fees is made in proportion to actual services performed and responsibility assumed by each practitioner. (d) A podiatrist shall not pay, demand, or receive compensation for referral of a patient, except for a patient referral program operated by a podiatry association which is approved by the board. (e) A podiatrist shall not charge a separate and distinct fee for the incidental, administrative, nonmedical service of securing admission of a patient to a hospital or other medical or health care facility. (f) A podiatrist shall not base his fee upon the uncertain outcome of a contingency, whether such contingency be the outcome of litigation or any other occurrence or condition which may or may not develop, occur or happen.