§26. QME Office Locations and Changes of Office Locations.

(a) Subject to the restriction in Labor Code section 139.2(h)(3)(B) of 10 offices for conducting comprehensive medical-legal evaluations, QMEs who perform comprehensive medical-legal evaluations at more than one physician's office location shall be required to pay an additional $ 100 annually per additional office location. Each physician's office listed with the Medical Director must be located within California, be identified by a street address and any other more specific location such as a suite or room number, and must contain the usual and customary equipment for the type of evaluation appropriate to the QME's medical specialty or scope of practice. Nothing in this section shall prevent a QME from adding additional offices up to the maximum set forth in Labor Code section 139.2 (h)(3) (B).

(b) An office location shall be maintained by a QME at least 180 days from the date the Medical Unit lists the office as available to perform comprehensive medical-legal evaluations, except upon a showing of good cause to the Medical Director. For purposes of this section the term “good cause” includes, but is not limited to:

(1) natural disasters or other community catastrophes that interrupt the operation of the evaluator's business;

(2) the expiration of a written lease agreement of not less than 12 months duration for an office location defined in subdivision (a);

(3) the sale of real property by the QME of an office location defined in subdivision (a) where the QME vacates the property.

(c) All changes of office location or requests to change office locations, except in the case of natural disaster or community catastrophes, shall be communicated to the Medical Unit at least 30 days in advance.

Note: Authority cited: Sections 133, 139.2 and 5307.3, Labor Code. Reference: Section 139.2, Labor Code.

1. New article 2.6 (section 26) and section filed 9-16-2013; operative 9-16-2013 pursuant to Government Code section 11343.4(b)(3) (Register 2013, No. 38).