Psychologists Need to Join the Medical Provider Network
All Washington psychologists must join the Medical Provider Network (MPN) to continue treating injured workers and be paid for services. Psychologists who do not join the MPN will not be able to treat workers beyond the initial visit.
View the tabs below for more information:
As the result of a new law, effective July 1, 2025, psychologists can serve as the attending provider (AP) on workers' compensation claims solely for mental health conditions.
Due to this change:
- Psychologists need to join the MPN, even if they do not want to serve as the AP, to provide care to workers beyond the initial visit (see FAQ for details).
- Psychologists treating workers with physical injuries also need to join the MPN.
- Psychologists who do not join the MPN will be limited to performing only the initial visit to file the report of accident on claims solely for mental health conditions.
- Psychologists will not be able to conduct the initial visit, or be the AP, if any physical conditions are contended.
Questions?
Email PsychologistAP@Lni.wa.gov for questions about these changes.
All documents must be submitted through ProviderOne.
Steps to enroll with L&I
- Sign in or apply electronically through ProviderOne
- Complete and upload the following documents:
Washington Practitioner - Attestation (F245-479-000)Authorization and Release of Information (F245-480-000)Provider Agreement (F245-397-000)
- Provide and upload proof of:
- Training and Education (CV, copy of transcripts, or copy of diploma)
- Malpractice Insurance
Visit Become a Provider for more information.
Psychologists who belong to delegate organizations
If you work for one of these organizations, no actions are needed.
- Confluence Health (Wenatchee Valley Medical & Central Health Association)
- Evergreen Health
- Franciscan Health
- Kaiser WA & Kaiser NW
- MultiCare
- Optum Care (The Everett Clinic and Polyclinic)
- Pacific Medical Clinics
- PeaceHealth
- Proliance Surgeons
- Providence Health & Services
- Skagit Regional Health
- Swedish Medical Group
- UW Med UW Physicians
- UW Med University of Washington
- UW Medicine Harborview
- UW Med Valley Medical Center
- Virginia Mason
- Western Washington Medical Group
- Yakima Valley Farm Workers
Questions?
Email: LNIProviderOne@Lni.wa.gov for questions about enrollment.
Attending Provider Role Definition
In the case of workers' compensation claims solely for mental health conditions, psychologist attending providers can:
- File Report of Accident
- Certify time-loss and set work restrictions
- Perform consultations
- Facilitate return to work
- Refer for other treatment
- Determine maximum medical improvement (MMI)
- Review and comment on job analyses
- File reopening applications
- Perform initial mental health evaluations
- Respond to independent medical examinations (IMEs) concurrence letters
Psychologist APs cannot do impairment ratings.
| Agency or Topic | Tools and Information |
| Authorization and Reporting Requirements | Review the
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| File a Report of Accident | Learn how: Filling Out a Report of Accident (ROA) Also includes information about filing the ROA online or using paper forms and provides links to ROA forms in other languages |
| Forms | Forms for applying to the Medical Provider Network: Washington Practitioner Application – Authorization and Release of Information (F245-480-000) Washington Practitioner Application - Attestation (F245-479-000) Provider Agreement (F245-397-000) |
| MARFS | Fee Schedules and Payment Policies (MARFS) |
| Mental Health Services | The Mental Health Services webpage offers the following information: |
| Question and Answer Webinar - 06/24/2025 |
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| Related rules (WACs) |
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| Examples of Mental Health Conditions | |
Issued February 2025
Psychologists can soon be Attending Providers!
A new law will allow psychologists to serve as attending providers (AP) on workers’ compensation claims solely for mental health conditions. In this role, you will direct and coordinate patient care and actively participate in helping workers return to work. Like our medical peers, this new role requires us to join L&I’s Medical Provider Network (MPN) to provide ongoing or concurrent care. For those of you who are currently treating workers, even if you do not plan to serve as APs, you will need to join the MPN to continue providing the care you currently deliver.
The enrollment tab on this webpage describes what you need to do to join the MPN. I urge you to get your MPN application materials in as soon as you can as missing the deadline will stop payments and authorizations. We want to ensure continuity of care for your patients. Please apply timely and remember, we are here to help you.
As L&I’s first Associate Medical Director for Psychology, I’m excited to represent our profession in policy discussions and decisions. A major part of my job is to improve mental healthcare delivery to Washington workers and support providers.
Throughout my career as a rehabilitation psychologist, I’ve focused on improving health, quality of life, and outcomes after injury, illness, and chronic health conditions. I’ve worked in public health, academic medicine, and independent practice settings. Having been an L&I provider, I understand the challenges our mental healthcare providers experience balancing patient care and workers’ compensation requirements.
Please, do not hesitate to reach out to me with any questions or concerns.
Sincerely,
Jennifer Jutte, PhD, ABPP, MPH
Board Certified in Rehabilitation Psychology
Associate Medical Director for Psychology
Washington State Department of Labor and Industries
Frequently Asked Questions
All providers who can serve as attending providers are required to be credentialed into the L&I Medical Provider Network. The credentialing process ensures high quality providers are delivering care to workers.
An attending provider is the primary coordinator of the care and treatment for the workers industrial injury or occupational disease. They coordinate referrals for additional care, and certify the need for additional benefits such as wage replacement. Workers have the right to choose as well as change their attending provider.
WAC 296-20-01002 defines “initial visit” in Washington workers’ compensation as:
“The first visit to a health care provider during which the Report of Industrial Injury or Occupational Disease (ROA) is completed and the worker files a claim for workers’ compensation.”
The associated code for ROA/PIR is 1040M. Providers should also bill the code that most accurately represents the service performed (typically 90791 for evaluation). There is only one initial visit per claim.
When a worker already has an established claim with an attending provider and is seeing a psychologist for the first time, the psychologist will not bill for an initial visit or fill out an ROA. However, a mental health evaluation is required before initiating treatment. Prior authorization would be required for this type of visit. The psychologist should bill the code most accurately reflecting the service performed (typically 90791 for evaluation). Psychologists may perform initial visits on claims solely for mental health conditions without prior authorization. All other mental health services require prior-authorization.
Billing information can be found on the public website at Billing L&I.
The L&I payment policy is found at: Medical Aid Rules & Fee Schedules (MARFS)
Chapter 2 - Information for All Providers
Chapter 3 -
Chapter 17 -
The fee schedule is updated annually and effective July 1 of each year.
General billing workshops are taught monthly. Register to attend at: Billing Workshops.
Payment and authorization for treatment beyond an initial visit cannot be issued if you have not enrolled in the MPN. If a psychologist does not join the MPN, effective July 1, 2025, they will only be allowed to provide the initial visit only on claims solely for mental health conditions (where no physical condition is or has been present) until their application is received and processed.
No. You may not treat a worker. However, you can provide an initial visit in the case of claims solely for mental health conditions. This allows you to file the Report of Accident (ROA - for State Fund claims) or the Self-Insurance Accident Report (SIF-2). If the worker needs treatment or ongoing care, they must transfer to an MPN approved psychologist.
Referrals and authorizations are not required for the initial visit. Treatment after the initial visit requires 90-day pre-authorizations. This means that every 90 days the mental health provider must substantiate the need for continued treatment and request authorization.
Yes, a prior authorization must be obtained for all mental health visits unless it is the initial visit to establish a claim solely for mental health condition(s).
No. Serving as the attending provider is optional. However, all psychologists must join the MPN to provide treatment beyond the initial visit.
No. Psychologists can only be the attending provider on claims solely for mental health conditions – no physical condition(s) allowed at any point during the life of the claim.
Industrial insurance is a medical-legal system funded by premiums paid by employers and workers. Workers’ compensation benefits are awarded and paid by the insurer according to the laws of Washington State. Documentation from providers proves the legal need for continued benefits including medical care and wage replacement. All providers, regardless of service rendered, are required to document all services and only render services related to the claim that are billable under the claim. Documentation is required across provider types for every billed service.