CA AB404

Change the frequency of medical-legal fee schedule adoption from annually to every two years, while maintaining synchronization with medical fee schedule revisions under Section 5307.1.

Require the administrative director to review and update the medical-legal fee schedule every two years to increase the conversion factor and per-page record review costs based on the percentage increase in the most recent federal Medicare Economic Index.

Maintain existing provisions allowing providers to charge fees exceeding the schedule only with itemization showing reasonable fees justified by extraordinary circumstances, capped at the provider's usual fee.

Preserve existing dispute resolution mechanisms allowing employers and employees to contest excess fees, and allowing judges or referees to award reasonable testimony fees when providers are subpoenaed.

Retain prohibitions on providers accepting compensation beyond authorized fees, with violations subject to licensing board discipline.