(a) An employee seeking an acceleration of impairment income benefits shall submit a request in writing to commission, on a form prescribed by the commission, and send a copy to the insurance carrier. The form shall explain subsection (d) of this section. (b) The commission shall approve the request for acceleration of impairment benefits pursuant to the Texas Workers' Compensation Act, §4.321. The commission shall notify the insurance carrier when a request for acceleration is approved, and of the amount and number of accelerated payments which shall be made. (c) The insurance carrier shall initiate the accelerated payment schedule no later than seven days after receiving notice of the commission's approval. (d) Acceleration of payment of impairment income benefits does not reduce the impairment period for purposes of the date that entitlement to supplemental income benefits begins.
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