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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California Employers Face New Questions About Workers’ Compensation Coverage After Policy Disputes

California Employers Face New Questions About Workers’ Compensation Coverage After Policy Disputes

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October 7, 2026 | Sacramento, CA — MedLegalNews.com — Workers compensation insurance coverage can become a significant legal issue when an employer fails to provide payroll records required for an insurance audit and an insurer subsequently attempts to cancel the policy. A recent California Court of Appeal decision illustrates how disputes over premium audits, cancellation

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California Workers’ Compensation Appeals Board Decisions Highlight Emerging Claim Issues

California Workers’ Compensation Appeals Board Decisions Highlight Emerging Claim Issues

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October 5, 2026 | Sacramento, CA — MedLegalNews.com — Workers compensation disputes continue to evolve as the California Workers’ Compensation Appeals Board issues new panel decisions addressing evidence, temporary disability, apportionment, compensability and procedural questions. A review of WCAB decisions dated August 28, August 31 and September 1, 2026, shows how individual cases can expose

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Workers’ Compensation Insurance Costs Rise as New California Rate Takes Effect

Workers’ Compensation Insurance Costs Rise as New California Rate Takes Effect

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October 2, 2026 | Sacramento, CA — MedLegalNews.com — Workers compensation rates in California are changing against a backdrop of rising system costs, and the latest advisory benchmark gives employers, insurers, claims professionals and injured-worker advocates a new data point to watch. Effective September 1, 2026, Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara adopted an average advisory pure

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Critical 2026 Flood Related Workplace Injuries Raise Workers’ Compensation Questions

Critical 2026 Flood Related Workplace Injuries Raise Workers’ Compensation Questions

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September 30, 2026 | Oakland, CA — MedLegalNews.com — California’s increasing exposure to severe weather is creating new occupational-medicine questions involving flood related workplace injuries, particularly when employees are required to work during or after torrential rain and flooding. On September 1, the Commission on Health and Safety and Workers’ Compensation (CHSWC) announced that its

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Critical 2026 Wildfire Smoke Workers Compensation Claims Raise New Risks

Critical 2026 Wildfire Smoke Workers Compensation Claims Raise New Risks

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September 28, 2026 | Oakland, CA — MedLegalNews.com — California’s growing exposure to wildfire smoke is creating an increasingly important occupational-medicine issue for employers, physicians, claims administrators and injured workers. The Commission on Health and Safety and Workers’ Compensation (CHSWC) highlighted wildfire smoke as one of several emerging weather-related workplace hazards in a September 1

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Critical 2026 Weather Related Workplace Injuries Raise Workers’ Comp Concerns

Critical 2026 Weather Related Workplace Injuries Raise Workers’ Comp Concerns

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September 25, 2026 | Oakland, CA — MedLegalNews.com — California’s changing weather conditions are creating new occupational health and workers’ compensation considerations as employees face wildfire smoke, extreme heat, torrential rain, flooding and other environmental hazards. On September 1, the Commission on Health and Safety and Workers’ Compensation (CHSWC) announced a School Action for Safety

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Critical 2026 Heat Illness Risks Raise California Workers’ Compensation Questions

Critical 2026 Heat Illness Risks Raise California Workers’ Compensation Questions

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September 23, 2026 | Sacramento, CA — MedLegalNews.com — California’s continued exposure to extreme temperatures is creating important workers’ compensation questions surrounding heat illness, particularly when a worker develops symptoms while performing job duties. On August 25, 2026, Cal/OSHA urged employers across Southern California to maintain required protections as extreme heat continued. The advisory covered

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Critical 2026 Provider Shortage Findings Raise California Workers’ Compensation Access Questions

Critical 2026 Provider Shortage Findings Raise California Workers’ Compensation Access Questions

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September 21, 2026 | Sacramento, CA — MedLegalNews.com — California’s workers’ compensation system is facing renewed attention over its provider shortage after a new RAND study found that the number and distribution of health care professionals participating in workers’ compensation vary substantially across the state. The report, released August 27 by the California Department of

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