The Division of Workers’ Compensation (DWC) has posted a third 15-day notice of modification to the proposed medical provider networks (MPN) regulations to the DWC website. Members of the public are invited to present written comments regarding the proposed modifications to dwcrules@dir.ca.gov until 5 p.m. on Monday, May 19. The proposed modifications include:

1) Clarification of the definition of an Entity that Provides Physician Network Services.
2) Requirement for an Entity that Provides Physician Network services to provide an affirmation that they contract with physicians and other medical providers or contract with physician networks in their MPN application.
3) Specifies a 90-day time frame from the effective date of these regulations for DWC to assign a unique MPN Identification Number to existing MPNs.
4) Clarification of the instructions to submit an MPN application or MPN modification.
5) Deletion of the requirement to indicate if a physician is not currently taking new workers’ compensation patients in the MPN’s internet website posting of its roster of all treating physicians.
6) Added Civil Code sections 1633.1 et seq. governs electronically signed documents between private parties when obtaining physician acknowledgments.

The notice, text of the regulations, and forms can be found on the proposed regulations page.