What Is A Designated Health Care Provider List?

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When a worker in Pennsylvania is hurt in the course and scope of his employment, if unfamiliar with it at the time of his injury, he will soon become familiar with his employer’s list of designated health care providers.

Pennsylvania law grants employers the right to establish a list of designated health care providers. When the list is posted in conformity with Pennsylvania law, injured workers must seek treatment for the injury or illness with one of the list’s designated providers for 90 days from the date of the first visit. 

The list is not mandatory, although most employers formulate such a list. If an employer does not exercise its right to establish a list of designated providers, the employee has the right to seek medical treatment from any provider of choice.

However, if a designated list is, in fact, established, the employer must provide a clearly written notice to an injured employee of the employee’s rights and responsibilities in seeking medical treatment for the initial 90-day period.

The requirements related to the designated health care provider list are as follows:

• The list must contain at least six providers;
• Three of the six providers must be physicians; 
• No more than four providers may be coordinated care organizations;
• Each provider’s name, address, telephone number and area of medical specialty must be included on the list; 
• Listed providers must be geographically accessible and their specialties appropriate for the anticipated work-related medical problems of the employees.

For 113 years, our attorneys have represented all types of workers in workers’ compensation cases. Our decades of experience make us the clear and obvious choice for representation in workers’ compensation matters in the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre and surrounding areas. Consult an experienced Pennsylvania workers’ compensation attorney. Contact Powell Law at (570) 961-0777. The consultation is FREE!