California’s New Workers’ Compensation Leadership Faces October Regulatory Priorities

California’s New Workers’ Compensation Leadership Faces October Regulatory Priorities

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October 30, 2026 | Sacramento, CA — MedLegalNews.com — DWC leadership enters the final months of 2026 with substantial regulatory and administrative responsibilities following Nicole Richardson’s appointment as Administrative Director of California’s Division of Workers’ Compensation. Richardson was sworn in on September 1, 2026, after Governor Gavin Newsom appointed her on August 25. Her appointment

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October Heat Emergency Raises New Medical-Legal Questions for California Injured Workers

October Heat Emergency Raises New Medical-Legal Questions for California Injured Workers

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October 28, 2026 | Sacramento, CA — MedLegalNews.com — Occupational heat illness remains a serious concern for California employers and injured workers following an unusual period of extreme October temperatures that prompted renewed warnings from the Division of Occupational Safety and Health, commonly known as Cal/OSHA. On October 2, 2026, the agency issued an advisory

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California QME Examination Cycle Concludes as Medical-Legal Evaluator Recruitment Continues

California QME Examination Cycle Concludes as Medical-Legal Evaluator Recruitment Continues

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October 26, 2026 | Sacramento, CA — MedLegalNews.com — The QME examination period scheduled for October 3 through October 9, 2026, has concluded, marking another stage in California’s process for qualifying physicians to perform medical-legal evaluations in workers’ compensation cases. Administered through the Division of Workers’ Compensation (DWC), the examination is an important component of

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California Workers’ Compensation Drug Formulary Committee Prepares for October Meeting

California Workers’ Compensation Drug Formulary Committee Prepares for October Meeting

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October 23, 2026 | Sacramento, CA — MedLegalNews.com — The workers compensation drug formulary remains an important subject of regulatory review in California following a scheduled October 21, 2026, meeting of the Division of Workers’ Compensation (DWC) Pharmacy and Therapeutics Committee. The committee serves an advisory role in the administration of the Medical Treatment Utilization

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California Workers’ Compensation Knee Treatment Guidelines Face October Regulatory Hearing

California Workers’ Compensation Knee Treatment Guidelines Face October Regulatory Hearing

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October 21, 2026 | Sacramento, CA — MedLegalNews.com — Knee treatment guidelines are the subject of a proposed regulatory update in California’s workers’ compensation system following the Division of Workers’ Compensation’s decision to pursue revisions to the Medical Treatment Utilization Schedule (MTUS). The proposal would incorporate the American College of Occupational and Environmental Medicine (ACOEM)

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California Workers’ Compensation Laboratory Payment Changes Begin October 1

California Workers’ Compensation Laboratory Payment Changes Begin October 1

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October 19, 2026 | Sacramento, CA — MedLegalNews.com — The laboratory fee schedule governing California workers’ compensation medical payments entered a new reimbursement period on October 1, 2026, following a September 24 order issued by the Division of Workers’ Compensation (DWC). The order incorporates Medicare’s fourth-quarter updates into the Pathology and Clinical Laboratory section of

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California Workers’ Compensation Outpatient Surgery Payment Rates Updated

California Workers’ Compensation Outpatient Surgery Payment Rates Updated

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October 16, 2026 | Sacramento, CA — MedLegalNews.com — Outpatient surgery reimbursement in California’s workers’ compensation system is undergoing another quarterly adjustment following the Division of Workers’ Compensation’s adoption of updated Medicare payment information. On October 7, 2026, the DWC announced revisions to the Hospital Outpatient Departments and Ambulatory Surgical Centers portion of the Official

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California Workers’ Compensation Medical Equipment Reimbursement Updated for October 2026

California Workers’ Compensation Medical Equipment Reimbursement Updated for October 2026

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October 14, 2026 | Sacramento, CA — MedLegalNews.com — Medical equipment reimbursement in California’s workers’ compensation system is subject to updated payment requirements following the Division of Workers’ Compensation’s adoption of fourth-quarter Medicare changes. On October 5, 2026, the DWC announced an update to the Durable Medical Equipment, Prosthetics, Orthotics and Supplies (DMEPOS) portion of

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California Workers’ Compensation Physician Fee Schedule Changes Take Effect in October

California Workers’ Compensation Physician Fee Schedule Changes Take Effect in October

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October 12, 2026 | Sacramento, CA — MedLegalNews.com — Workers compensation physician fees in California are subject to a new fourth-quarter update following action by the Division of Workers’ Compensation (DWC) to incorporate recent Medicare payment changes into the state’s Official Medical Fee Schedule (OMFS). The adjustment became effective October 1, 2026, and applies to

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Access to Workers’ Compensation Medical Care Varies Across California Regions

Access to Workers’ Compensation Medical Care Varies Across California Regions

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October 9, 2026 | Sacramento, CA — MedLegalNews.com — Workers compensation medical access varies substantially across California, with new research showing that an injured worker’s geographic location can influence provider availability, travel distance and the time required to reach certain types of care. An August 2026 RAND study commissioned by the California Department of Industrial

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