Labor Code 138.4 concerns injuries involving loss of time and suspending a physician or provider convicted of fraud or abuse of Medi-Cal, Medicare or workers' compensation system. Which professionals can be suspended?

• A. Nurses
• B. Physicians or providers
• C. Hospitals
• D. Employers

Answer: (B)

Labor Code 138.4 is about removing from participation those who abuse or commit fraud in Medi-Cal, Medicare, or the workers’ compensation system. The authority applies to the people who provide medical services and bill the system—the physicians and other providers who deliver care. It targets individuals, not the institutions themselves, so hospitals or employers aren’t suspended under this specific provision. The idea is to protect the integrity of the programs by barring those who have been convicted of fraud or abuse from continuing to treat or bill within the system.