California comp regulators to extend emergency telehealth rules

The California Division of Workers’ Compensation on Thursday issued a notice of intent to readopt its emergency regulation to extend indefinitely the state’s temporary telemedicine rules beyond the current expiration date of July 18.

The division said the regulation addresses the ongoing need for telehealth medical-legal evaluations and office location flexibility, put in place in 2020 as the state grappled with safety measures related to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The regulation will help injured workers and employers continue to move their workers compensation claims toward a resolution and avoid additional and undue delay, it said.