The California Division of Workers’ Compensation (CA DWC), as we’ve argued (and shown) repeatedly, has long been the poster child for bureaucratic ineptitude. Its handling of Medical Provider Networks (MPNs) is a prime example.

The California MPN system is an unmitigated disaster so glaring that it’s become a cruel joke.

California law allows insurers and self-insured employers to establish MPNs and choose the providers allowed to care for injured workers. The law also mandates that the California Division of Workers’ Compensation (CA DWC) maintain a webpage listing all MPNs.

But even the most seasoned cynics were surprised to see the CA DWC one-up itself in its MPN mismanagement, failing to keep the MPN web page functional.

As of this writing, the entire CA DWC MPN list has disappeared from the DWC website for the third time. The online MPN database has not functioned since January 3, 2025, and providers cannot access MPN information.

This isn’t just a technical glitch. It’s a glaring symptom of incompetence—and we can’t help but wonder if it’s also a sign of indifference.

The Case of the Vanishing MPN List

In July 2024, daisyBill discovered that the MPN list had pulled a Houdini and completely disappeared from the CA DWC’s website. The search tool was gone, and the downloadable files were empty. The CA DWC’s response was a vague pledge to “escalate” the issue.

The CA DWC restored the list in mid-July, only for it to vanish again in October. As of today, the MPNs remain MIA.

At this point, we’re used to the CA DWC’s inability (or refusal) to enforce laws and regulations, protect providers from abuse, and help facilitate care for injured workers. But what’s the point of a regulatory body that can’t keep a glorified spreadsheet online?

The MPN List: A Sham

In theory, insurers and employers establish MPNs to restrict injured workers to a pre-approved group of doctors for cost and quality control. However, in practice, MPNs have become mainly a way to push providers into discount contracts, and the MPN list (like the MPN system as a whole) is a disaster.

The online MPN list should help providers and injured workers determine which MPN applies to which employer or insurer and which providers are included in the MPNs. However, the DWC MPN list contains thousands of terminated or inactive entries. The MPNs listed have no apparent connection to specific employers or insurers. The so-called "searchable list" is useless, offering zero clarity regarding which providers can treat which workers.

The MPN system and the CA DWC’s handling thereof is beyond dysfunction; it borders on negligence.

CA MPNs: A Legacy of Failure

Under California Senate Bill 863, the CA DWC must maintain an accessible, functional MPN list. This isn’t some optional courtesy—it’s the law. However, the CA DWC’s disregard for its obligations couldn’t be more apparent.

Even when the CA DWC MPN list is available, the list is a mess. Of the 2,500+ MPNs listed, fewer than 300 are active, and it is impossible to determine which employer or insurer uses which of the active MPNs. The CA DWC requires MPNs to report changes to their physician lists quarterly, so these lists are accurate only four days a year.

The chaos of the MPN system leaves injured workers in limbo, unable to access timely care. At the same time, providers navigate a byzantine MPN system, only to have claims administrators refuse payment (even for authorized services) on MPN-related grounds.

Enough Is Enough

The vanishing MPN list is the latest example of the CA DWC’s long history of shepherding the MPN system into mayhem.

This mayhem makes it an administrative nightmare to treat injured workers, driving providers from the system and leaving injured workers with fewer options and more obstacles to care.

Given its years of repeated failure to address the MPN disaster, the CA DWC seems comfortable with chaos. Until the agency faces some measure of accountability, providers, employers, and injured workers will remain stuck in a bureaucratic dystopia of the agency’s making.

We can’t fix the MPN system, but we can make authorization and billing easier for providers who treat injured workers. Contact us to learn how we can help.

SCHEDULE CHAT