23-1026. Periodic medical examination of employee; effect of refusal or obstruction of examination or treatment

A. An employee who may be entitled to compensation under this chapter shall submit himself for medical examination from time to time at a place reasonably convenient for the employee, if and when requested by the commission, his employer or the insurance carrier. A place is reasonably convenient even if it is not where the employee resides if it is the place where the employee was injured and the employer or the insurance carrier pays in advance the employee's reasonable travel expenses, including the cost of transportation, food, lodging and loss of pay, if applicable.

B. The request for the medical examination shall fix a time and place having regard to the convenience of the employee, his physical condition and his ability to attend. The employee may have a physician present at the examination if procured and paid for by the employee.

C. If the employee refuses to submit to the medical examination or obstructs the examination, his right to compensation shall be suspended until the examination has been made, and no compensation shall be payable during or for such period.

D. A physician who makes or is present at the medical examination provided by this section may be required to testify as to the result of the examination. The physician is not subject to a complaint for unprofessional conduct to the physician's licensing board if the complaint is based on a disagreement with the findings and opinions expressed by the physician as a result of the examination.

E. On appropriate application and hearing, the commission may reduce or suspend the compensation of an employee who persists in unsanitary or injurious practices tending to imperil or retard his recovery, or who refuses to submit to medical or surgical treatment reasonably necessary to promote his recovery.

F. An employee shall be excused from attending a scheduled medical examination if the employee requests a protective order and the administrative law judge finds that the scheduled examination is unnecessary, would be cumulative or could reasonably be timely scheduled with an appropriate physician where the employee resides. If a protective order is requested the burden is on the employer or insurance carrier to establish that a medical examination should be scheduled at a place other than where the employee resides. If an employee has left this state and the employer or insurance carrier pays in advance the employee's reasonable travel expenses, including the cost of transportation, food, lodging and loss of pay, if applicable, the employer or insurance carrier is entitled to have the employee return to this state one time a year for examination or one time following the filing of a petition to reopen.

G. If a physician performs an examination under this section and is provided data from the Arizona state board of pharmacy pursuant to title 36, chapter 28, the physician may disclose that data to the employee, employer, insurance carrier and commission.