For injuries occurring on or after January 1, 2004 how many chiropractor, occupational therapy, or physical therapy visits is an employee entitled to per industrial injury?

• A. 12 per industrial injury
• B. 24 per industrial injury
• C. 36 per industrial injury
• D. 48 per industrial injury

Answer: (B)

In California workers’ compensation, injuries occurring on or after January 1, 2004 are subject to a treatment cap for certain therapies. The limit for chiropractic care, physical therapy, or occupational therapy is 24 visits per industrial injury. This cap is designed to standardize care and control costs while still allowing necessary treatment. After reaching 24 visits, further treatment can be authorized only if medical necessity is documented and approved under the Medical Treatment Utilization Schedule (MTUS) guidelines. The limit is per injury, not per provider or per year. The other visit counts don’t reflect this established cap.