(a) All fees charged by providers for any medical service, treatment, drug or equipment authorized under this subpart will be paid at no more than the rate prevailing for the service, treatment, drug or equipment in the community in which the provider is located.

(b) When medical benefits are paid by the fund at OWCP's direction, either on an interim basis or because there is no liable operator, the prevailing community rate for various types of service will be determined as provided in §§725.708-725.711.

(c) The provisions of §§725.708-725.711 do not apply to charges for medical services or treatments furnished by medical facilities of the U.S. Public Health Service or the Departments of the Army, Navy, Air Force and Veterans Affairs.

(d) If the provisions of §§725.708-725.711 cannot be used to determine the prevailing community rate for a particular service or treatment or for a particular provider, OWCP may determine the prevailing community rate by reliance on other federal or state payment formulas or on other evidence, as appropriate.

(e) OWCP must review the payment formulas described in §§725.708-725.711 at least once a year, and may adjust, revise or replace any payment formula or its components when necessary or appropriate to ensure miners' access to care or for other reasons.

(f) Except as otherwise provided in this subpart, the provisions of §§725.707-725.711 apply to all medical services and treatments rendered after August 31, 2018.