The California Department of Industrial Relations on Monday issued a progress report on its anti-fraud efforts, including updates on the suspension of 227 medical providers from treating California’s injured workers and the dismissal of 292,000 illegitimate liens with claims valued at more than $2.5 billion.
DIR’s efforts to eliminate medical provider fraud and illegitimate liens were bolstered by two new laws effective Jan. 1, 2017: SB 1160 requires the DIR to automatically stay liens belonging to providers who have been indicted or charged with crimes until the disposition of criminal; AB 1244 requires the Division of Workers’ Compensation administrative director to suspend any medical provider, physician or practitioner from participating in the workers’ comp system when convicted of fraud.