You find a doctor's medical-legal bill in a claims file 62 days after the bill was date stamped received. You should:

• A. Voluntarily add 10% plus 7% interest
• B. Send an objection to the bill immediately
• C. Deny the bill
• D. Wait until you are forced to pay the penalty

Answer: (A)

Late-payment penalties for medical-legal bills are triggered when the payer doesn’t pay within the allowed time frame. In California workers’ compensation, medical-legal bills must be paid within 60 days of receipt. If payment is late, a 10% penalty applies and interest accrues at 7% per year on the overdue amount until paid. Since the bill was received 62 days ago, it falls outside the 60-day window, so you should include the penalty when paying the bill. In practice, that means adding 10% of the billed amount plus the interest calculated for the days late (roughly 7% per year pro-rated for about two months). This voluntary inclusion ensures compliance with the statute and helps avoid further penalties or disputes. Objection, denial, or waiting to pay does not address the statutory late-payment obligation.