Proposed Changes to Lien Rules Raise Question Over Reasonableness of Denials

If legislation drafted by the Department of Industrial Relations becomes law, out-of-network doctors providing non-emergency treatment to injured workers would have to file an affidavit stating the employer didn’t have a medical provider network or that the claim was neglected or unreasonably denied. But what constitutes neglect or an unreasonable denial appears to be an open question that may have to be answered by the Workers’ Compensation Appeals Board. In the meantime, some observers think this could severely curtail the ability of doctors to recover on liens for serv...