(a) The commissioner shall appoint a medical care and cost containment committee. The committee shall approve regulations pursuant to § 50-6-233(c)(7) before they become effective, assist the commissioner in their implementation, and advise the commissioner, at the commissioner's request, on issues relating to medical care and cost containment in the workers' compensation system.

(b)

(1) The committee shall be composed of fifteen (15) voting members appointed by the commissioner as follows:

(A) Three (3) members shall be physicians licensed to practice medicine and surgery under title 63, chapter 6, and shall be appointed from a list of nominees submitted by the Tennessee Medical Association;

(B) Two (2) members shall represent employers and shall be appointed from a list of nominees submitted by the Tennessee Chamber of Commerce and Industry;

(C) One (1) member shall represent employers and shall be appointed from a list of nominees submitted by the Associated Builders and Contractors, Inc.;

(D) Three (3) members shall represent employees and shall be appointed from a list of nominees submitted by the Tennessee AFL-CIO State Labor Council;

(E) Three (3) members shall represent hospitals and shall be appointed from a list of nominees submitted by the Tennessee Hospital Association;

(F) One (1) member shall be a pharmacist and shall be appointed from a list submitted by the Tennessee Pharmacists Association;

(G) One (1) member shall represent the health insurance industry; and

(H) One (1) member shall be a chiropractor and shall be appointed from a list of nominees submitted by the Tennessee Chiropractic Association.

(2) The medical director shall serve as a nonvoting ex officio member of the committee.

(3) An organization that submits a list of nominees shall list at least three (3) nominees for each of the committee positions for which it is requested to submit nominations. If the commissioner finds a list of nominees unsatisfactory, the commissioner shall return the list to the submitting organization. The organization shall submit another list within thirty (30) days. This process shall continue until the commissioner appoints a member. If an organization that is required to submit a list of nominees fails to do so within thirty (30) days of a request for the list by the commissioner, then the commissioner may appoint a member of the commissioner's own choosing.

(4) In making appointments, the commissioner shall strive to achieve a geographic balance and, in the case of the physician members of the committee, shall assure to the extent possible that the membership of the committee reflects the diversity of specialties involved in the medical treatment and management of workers' compensation claimants.

(c) The members of the committee shall be appointed for terms of four (4) years. Each member of the committee shall, upon the expiration of such member's term, be eligible for reappointment and shall serve until a successor is appointed and qualified.

(d) Members of the committee shall serve without compensation but, when engaged in the conduct of their official duties as members of the committee, shall be entitled to reimbursement for travel expenses in accordance with uniform regulations promulgated by the department of finance and administration and approved by the attorney general and reporter.