2023 California Code › Labor Code - LAB › DIVISION 4 - WORKERS' COMPENSATION AND INSURANCE › PART 2 - COMPUTATION OF COMPENSATION › CHAPTER 2 - Compensation Schedules › ARTICLE 2 - Medical and Hospital Treatment › Section 4615.

4615. (a) Upon the filing of criminal charges against a physician, practitioner, or provider for any crime described in subparagraph (A) of paragraph (1) of subdivision (a) of Section 139.21, the following shall occur:
(1) Any lien filed by, or on behalf of, the physician, practitioner, or provider or any entity controlled, as defined in paragraph (3) of subdivision (a) of Section 139.21, by the physician, practitioner, or provider for medical treatment services under Section 4600 or medical-legal services under Section 4621, and any accrual of interest related to the lien, shall be automatically stayed.
(2) Except as provided in subdivisions (b) and (c), the stay shall be in effect from the time of the filing of the charges until the disposition of the criminal proceedings.
(b) Upon conviction, as defined in paragraph (4) of subdivision (a) of Section 139.21, of the physician, practitioner, or provider for any crime described in subparagraph (A) of paragraph (1) of subdivision (a) of Section 139.21, the automatic stay shall remain in effect for any liens not dismissed pursuant to paragraph (1) of subdivision (e) of Section 139.21 until the commencement of lien consolidation procedures under paragraph (2) of subdivision (e) of Section 139.21.
(c) The automatic stay required by this section shall not preclude a physician, practitioner, or provider from requesting the dismissal with prejudice and forfeiture of sums claimed therein of any liens subject to the stay. Upon the receipt of that request and for good cause shown, the chief judge of the Division of Workers Compensation or his or her designee may lift the stay as to one or more of those liens and order that they be dismissed with prejudice.
(d) The administrative director shall promptly post on the division’s Internet Web site the names of any physician, practitioner, or provider of medical treatment services whose liens are stayed pursuant to this section.
(e) The automatic stay required by this section shall not preclude the appeals board from inquiring into and determining within a workers’ compensation proceeding whether a lien is stayed pursuant to subdivision (a) or whether a lien claimant is controlled by a physician, practitioner, or provider.
(f) The administrative director may adopt rules for the implementation of this section.
(g) Notwithstanding this section, the filing of new or additional criminal charges against a physician, practitioner, or provider who has been suspended pursuant to subparagraph (A) of paragraph (1) of subdivision (a) of Section 139.21 shall not stay liens that are subject to consolidation and adjudication pursuant to subdivisions (e) to (i), inclusive, of Section 139.21, unless a determination has been made pursuant to subdivision (i) of Section 139.21 that a lien did not arise from the conduct that subjected the physician, practitioner, or provider to suspension.
(Amended by Stats. 2017, Ch. 300, Sec. 3. (AB 1422) Effective January 1, 2018.)