Lawmakers Pass Bills to Shorten Investigation Period, Mandate MLFS Updates

The California Senate passed a bill that would cut in half the amount of time employers have to accept a claim, and it would increase the cap on medical treatment that must be authorized while liability is pending. At the same time, the Assembly passed a bill that would require the Division of Workers’ Compensation to update the Medical-Legal Fee Schedule at least once every two years. The Senate on Tuesday voted 29-10 to pass SB 335, by Sen. Dan Cortese, D-San Jose, which would require employers to accept or deny most claims within 45 days. Employers have 90 days under current l...