Can an employer require an injured worker to use a network treating doctor?
A. If the employer contracts with an insurance carrier for the provision of health care services through a network, the requirement to use network providers depends on whether the injured worker lives in the network service area and whether the worker has received notice of the network requirements. If the injured employee lives within the network’s service area and has received notice of network requirements, that employee is required to choose his or her treating doctor from the network’s list of treating doctors and receive health care from network health care providers, regardless of the date of injury. There are exceptions for emergency care and for health care provided by an out-of-network provider pursuant to a referral from a treating doctor for medically necessary services that are not available in the network. The out-of-network referral must be approved by the network. Requirements to use a network provider apply to all injured workers, including those with injuries occurrin
