[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]A new law, Assembly Bill 1244, went into effect this year that prohibits doctors convicted of criminal or fraudulent activities from treating injured workers in the workers' compensation system. It was announced today that 21 providers have been suspended, bringing the total number of providers barred from treating injured workers to 121. The offenses leading to the suspensions range from accepting illegal kickbacks to fraudulently billing Medicare. The offenses and convictions may have happened years ago, but the suspensions from workers' compensation medical provider networks is only occurring now due to AB 1244. While a reduction in medical providers may seem like a bad thing for injured workers, removing providers convicted of fraud or other criminal activities from the system may not be such a bad thing. The Law Offices of Scott Warmuth offers legal guidance to injured workers seeking to navigate the complicated California workers' compensation program. For a free consultation, call 888-517-9888.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]