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The Division of Workers’ Compensation’s Medical Unit has made changes to the Qualified Medical Evaluator (QME) panel request process as a result of Senate Bill 863. Emergency QME regulations introduce the following new requirements for QME panel requests: The QME forms for both the unrepresented and represented requests have been updated. QME Form 105a applies to the unrepresented cases and must be used for dates of injury on and after Jan. 1, 2013. Likewise,QME Form 106a applies to represented cases and must be used for dates of injury on and after Jan. 1, 2013. Both forms will be formally adopted after they are approved by the Office of Administrative Law, at which time the form numbers will be renamed to QME Form 105 and QME Form 106, respectively, with the latest revision date and will apply to all dates of injury. Agreed Medical Evaluator (AME) offer letter is no longer required prior to panel request (Labor Code § 4062.2)

Disputes from utilization review (UR) determinations that delay, modify or deny medical treatment must be resolved through the independent medical review process for dates of injury on or after Jan. 1, 2013 and for all dates of injury for which UR determinations that delay, modify or deny medical treatment are issued on or after July 1, 2013 (Labor Code §§ 4062(b), 4610.5.)

For disputes over the existence or extent of permanent impairment and limitations or the need for future medical care; or concerning any medical issues not over covered by section 4060 or 4061 and not subject to section 4610: a QME panel request must include a written objection that identifies (Regulation 30(b)):

  • The name of the primary treating physician (PTP)
  • The date of the PTP’s report that is the subject of the objection
  • A description of the medical dispute requiring a comprehensive medical legal exam is necessary

For disputes over the compensability of any injury under Labor Code section 4060: a QME panel request must include a written objection that specifies that a compensability examination is required (Regulation 30(b)).

QME panel requests for disputes contained in Labor Code § 4062.2(b) cannot be submitted until 10 days after the objection letter has been sent. That period is extended by five days if the objection was made by mail within California. Substantive objections under Labor Code §§ 4060, 4061 and 4062 may be resolved using the process under Labor Code section 4062.2.

Requests submitted that do not contain all these components will be considered incomplete and will be rejected. When resubmitting a complete represented panel request please attach a copy of the rejection letter.

More helpful tips to ensure valid panel requests will be coming soon to the DWC Medical Unit website.