CompFox AI Summary
The Workers' Compensation Appeals Board (WCAB) denied the applicant's petition for reconsideration and dismissed their petition for removal. The WCAB affirmed the administrative law judge's finding that the defendant's utilization review (UR) determinations denying authorization for opioid medication were valid because they were timely made. As the UR decisions were timely, the applicant's challenge to the denial of medication authorization is limited to the Independent Medical Review (IMR) process, not the WCAB's jurisdiction for medical necessity. The Board distinguished this case from Patterson by noting that ongoing opioid medication use is subject to periodic review, unlike the nurse case manager services at issue in Patterson.
Full Decision Text1 Pages
The Workers' Compensation Appeals Board (WCAB) denied the applicant's petition for reconsideration and dismissed their petition for removal. The WCAB affirmed the administrative law judge's finding that the defendant's utilization review (UR) determinations denying authorization for opioid medication were valid because they were timely made. As the UR decisions were timely, the applicant's challenge to the denial of medication authorization is limited to the Independent Medical Review (IMR) process, not the WCAB's jurisdiction for medical necessity. The Board distinguished this case from Patterson by noting that ongoing opioid medication use is subject to periodic review, unlike the nurse case manager services at issue in Patterson.
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