Section 418.858 - Cost of hearing; fees of attorneys and physicians; disagreement as to fees; application for hearing; order; review; maximum attorney fees; rules; special order awarding fees; computation of attorney fees; limitation on fees; reduction in fees(1) The cost of a hearing, including the cost of taking stenographic notes of the testimony presented at the hearing, not exceeding the taxable costs allowed in actions at law in the circuit courts of this state, shall be fixed by the board of magistrates and paid by the state as other expenses of the state are paid. The payment of fees for all attorneys and physicians for services under this act shall be subject to the approval of a worker's compensation magistrate. In the event of disagreement as to such fees, an interested party may apply to the bureau for a hearing. After an order by the worker's compensation magistrate, review may be had by the director if a request is filed within 15 days. Thereafter the director's order may be reviewed by the appellate commission on request of an interested party, if a request is filed within 15 days.(2) The director, by rule, may prescribe maximum attorney fees and the manner in which the amount may be determined or paid by the employee; but the maximum attorney fees prescribed by the director shall not be based upon a weekly benefit amount after coordination which is higher than 2/3 of the state average weekly wage at the time of the injury. For claims in which an application under section 847 is filed after March 31, 1986, the maximum attorney fee shall be based upon the coordinated worker's compensation benefit amount according to a contingency fee schedule, as provided for under rules promulgated pursuant to this act, but if this would result in a fee of less than $500.00, the claimant may agree to pay a sum, as specified in a written agreement between the claimant and the attorney prior to the filing of an application for hearing, so that the total fee received by the attorney would be not more than $500.00. When fees are requested in excess of that provided by rule, the director may award the fees by special order. In the computation of attorney fees for a case in which an application under section 847 is filed after March 31, 1986 and decided by the worker's compensation appellate commission, the fees shall be assessed on not more than 104 weeks of the period the matter was pending before the commission. This limitation on fees applies only to weekly compensation and does not apply to the period of time the matter was pending review before the court of appeals or supreme court.(3) The director is authorized to promulgate rules calling for reductions in attorney fees in cases where applications for hearing have been dismissed, or where, in the discretion of the worker's compensation magistrate, such action is appropriate.1969, Act 317, Eff. 12/31/1969 ;--Am. 1980, Act 357, Eff. 1/1/1981 ;--Am. 1981, Act 196, Eff. 1/1/1982 ;--Am. 1985, Act 103, Imd. Eff. 7/30/1985 ;--Am. 1994, Act 271, Imd. Eff. 7/11/1994 .