Short answer. You can refuse, but not without cost. If the System treats your refusal to be examined or treated as unreasonable, it stops paying further compensation for as long as the refusal lasts. That is a suspension rather than a cancellation, so payment can resume once you submit to the examination.
What the law says
If the employee unreasonably refuses to submit to medical examination or treatment, the System shall stop the payment of further compensation during such time as such refusal continues.
Labor Code, Article 188 — Refusing Examination Stops Payment. Read the full provision →
What the article says
Article 188 of the Labor Code is short and blunt: If the employee unreasonably refuses to submit to medical examination or treatment, the System shall stop the payment of further compensation during such time as such refusal continues. Two expressions carry the weight. Unreasonably tells you that not every refusal counts — the provision is aimed at obstruction, not at a claimant with a genuine reason for not appearing. During such time as such refusal continues tells you the consequence is a stoppage, not a forfeiture. Compensation halts while the refusal lasts, and the position can change once you agree to be seen.
Who decides whether a refusal is unreasonable
Not you, at least not first. The article provides that What constitutes an unreasonable refusal shall be determined by the System, which may on its own initiative, determine the necessity, character and sufficiency of any medical services furnished or to be furnished. The same body that pays the benefit therefore judges whether the examination was needed and whether your reason for declining stands up. That is precisely why the reason you give matters, and why it should be given in writing rather than by telephone or through a relative. A documented explanation is the only version of events that can later be reviewed.
What can make a refusal reasonable
The article gives no list, so this comes down to ordinary sense supported by evidence. A refusal is far more defensible where the examination would itself endanger you, where you are physically unable to travel and have said so with medical support, where the notice never actually reached you, or where you are willing to be examined but need a workable date or an accessible place. It is much weaker when it rests on distrust of a particular doctor, on inconvenience, or on simply not turning up. If you object to the examiner, say so in writing, give your reason, and propose an alternative instead of staying silent.
How to protect the claim
Treat every notice as something that must be answered. Keep the letters and envelopes, note the dates, and reply in writing even when you cannot attend. If an examination has already been missed, the practical route back is to request a new date promptly and to go, since the stoppage runs only while the refusal does. Remember too that this article governs the money side; refusing treatment can also weaken the medical picture on which your disability is assessed, so a refusal that saves you one difficult trip may cost far more later. No page can promise how the System will view your reasons — the record you build is the part within your control.