Newsline No. 08-10 printer image Printer friendly

March 2, 2010

  

Division of Workers' Compensation issues first 15-day notice of revisions to proposed medical provider network and employee information regulations

The Division of Workers' Compensation (DWC) has modified its medical provider network (MPN) and employee information regulations. A first 15-day notice of modification was distributed to interested parties and the revised regulations are posted on the DWC Web site. Members of the public may comment on the revisions until 5 p.m. on March 17, 2010.

The proposed revisions to MPN and employee information regulations are authorized by Labor Code sections 4616, 3550, and 3551. These Labor Code sections require the administrative director to adopt regulations for medical provider networks and employee information on workers' compensation benefits.

The revisions in this draft of the regulations include the following:

  1. Streamlined and clarified MPN application requirements
  2. Clarified and further specified material modification filing requirements
  3. Amended MPN notices to be in English and Spanish
  4. Clarified notice language regarding the right to predesignate
  5. Eliminated the requirement to include an MPN contact name in specified notices
  6. Amended provider listing requirements for accessibility and accuracy
  7. Clarified MPN information to be included in the Notice to New Employees and the Employee Poster
  8. Minor edits for clarification to DWC Employer Poster

Further information and the modified proposals can be found at http://www.dir.ca.gov/dwc/DWCRulemaking.html.

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