Procedure Codes ML100, ML101, ML102, ML103, ML104, ML105 & ML106

The services described by Procedure Codes ML100, ML101, ML102, ML103, ML104 & ML105 ML106 refer to medical-legal evaluation reports and medical-legal testimony. These procedure codes are to be used only on Workers Compensation claims. Full description of procedure codes ML100, ML101, ML102, ML103, ML104 & ML105 ML106 are as follows.

List Of Procedure Codes

The descriptions of ML100, ML101, ML102, ML103, ML104, ML105 & ML106 can be found underneath.

ML100

Description of ML100: Missed Appointment for a Comprehensive or Follow-Up Medical-Legal Evaluation. This code is designed for communication purposes only. It does not imply that compensation is necessarily owed.

ML101

Description of ML101: Follow-up Medical-Legal Evaluation. Limited to a follow-up medical-legal evaluation by a physician which occurs within nine months of the date on which the prior medical-legal evaluation was performed. The physician shall include in his or her report verification, under penalty of perjury, of time spent in each of the following activities: review of records, face-to-face time with the injured worker, and preparation of the report. Time spent shall be tabulated in increments of 15 minutes or portions thereof, rounded to the nearest quarter hour. The physician shall be reimbursed at the rate of RV 5, or his or her usual and customary fee, whichever is less, for each quarter hour.

ML102

Description of ML102: Basic Comprehensive Medical-Legal Evaluation. Includes all comprehensive medical-legal evaluations other than those included under ML103 or ML104.

ML103

Description of ML103: Complex Comprehensive Medical-Legal Evaluation. Includes evaluations which require three of the complexity factors set forth below:

In a separate section at the beginning of the report, the physician shall clearly and concisely specify which of the following complexity factors were required for the evaluation, and the circumstances which made these complexity factors applicable to the evaluation. An evaluator who specifies complexity factor (3) must also provide a list of citations to the sources reviewed, and excerpt or include copies of medical evidence relied upon:

1. Two or more hours of face-to-face time by the physician with the injured worker;
2. Two or more hours of record review by the physician;
3. Two or more hours of medical research by the physician;
4. Four or more hours spent on any combination of two of the complexity factors (1)-(3), which shall count as two complexity factors. Any complexity factor in (1), (2), or (3) used to make this combination shall not also be used as the third required complexity factor;
5. Six or more hours spent on any combination of three complexity factors (1)-(3), which shall count as three complexity factors;
6. Addressing the issue of medical causation, upon written request of the party or parties requesting the report, or if a bonafide issue of medical causation is discovered in the evaluation;
7. Addressing the issue of apportionment, when determination of this issue requires the physician to evaluate the claimant’s employment by three or more employers, three or more injuries to the same body system or body region as delineated in the Table of Contents of Guides to the Evaluation of Permanent Impairment (Fifth Edition), or two or more or more injuries involving two or more body systems or body regions as delineated in that Table of Contents. The Table of Contents of Guides to the Evaluation of Permanent Impairment (Fifth Edition), published by the American Medical Association, 2000, is incorporated by reference.
8. Addressing the issue of medical monitoring of an employee following a toxic exposure to chemical, mineral or biologic substances;
9. A psychiatric or psychological evaluation which is the primary focus of the medical-legal evaluation.
10. Addressing the issue of denial or modification of treatment by the claims administrator following utilization review under Labor Code section 4610.

ML104

Description of ML104: Comprehensive Medical-legal Evaluation Involving Extraordinary Circumstances. The physician shall be reimbursed at the rate of RV 5, or his or her usual and customary hourly fee, whichever is less, for each quarter hour or portion thereof, rounded to the nearest quarter hour, spent by the physician for any of the following:

1. An evaluation which requires four or more of the complexity factors listed under ML 103; In a separate section at the beginning of the report, the physician shall clearly and concisely specify which four or more of the complexity factors were required for the evaluation, and the circumstances which made these complexity factors applicable to the evaluation. An evaluator who specifies complexity factor (3) must also provide a list of citations to the sources reviewed, and excerpt or include copies of medical evidence relied upon.
2. An evaluation involving prior multiple injuries to the same body part or parts being evaluated, and which requires three or more of the complexity factors listed under ML 103, including three or more hours of record review by the physician;
3. A comprehensive medical-legal evaluation for which the physician and the parties agree, prior to the evaluation, that the evaluation involves extraordinary circumstances. When billing under this code for extraordinary circumstances, the physician shall include in his or her report:
   • a clear, concise explanation of the extraordinary circumstances related to the medical condition being evaluated which justifies the use of this procedure code, and
   • verification under penalty of perjury of the total time spent by the physician in each of these activities: reviewing the records, face-to-face time with the injured worker, preparing the report and, if applicable, any other activities.

ML105

Description of ML105: Fees for medical-legal testimony. The physician shall be reimbursed at the rate of RV 5, or his or her usual and customary fee, whichever is less, for each quarter hour or portion thereof, rounded to the nearest quarter hour, spent by the physician. The physician shall be entitled to fees for all itemized reasonable and necessary time spent related to the testimony, including reasonable preparation and travel time. The physician shall be paid a minimum of one hour for a scheduled deposition.

ML106

Description of ML106: Fees for supplemental medical-legal evaluations. The physician shall be reimbursed at the rate of RV 5, or his or her usual and customary fee, whichever is less, for each quarter hour or portion thereof, rounded to the nearest quarter hour, spent by the physician. Fees will not be allowed under this section for supplemental reports following the physician’s review of (A) information which was available in the physician’s office for review or was included in the medical record provided to the physician prior to preparing the initial report or (B) the results of laboratory or diagnostic tests which were ordered by the physician as part of the initial evaluation.