US Labor Department proposes rule to update implementation of Energy Employees Occupational Illness Compensation Program Act

WASHINGTON — A proposed rule could improve the U.S. Department of Labor's administration of a law governing workers' compensation for energy employees. Proposed by the department's Office of Workers' Compensation Programs, the rule would amend regulations governing its administration of the Energy Employees Occupational Illness Compensation Program Act. These regulations were last revised on Dec. 29, 2006.

The proposed rule would address issues that have arisen in OWCP's adjudication of claims for compensation under EEOICPA since 2006 and increase administrative efficiency.

"When workers get sick, they want quick action," said OWCP Director Leonard Howie. "In the past 15 years, we've provided nearly $12 billion in compensation to hundreds of thousands of people. For the men and women who made so many personal sacrifices to build our country's nuclear defense program, and their families, we hope these changes will help us continue that important work with greater speed, efficiency and transparency."

The proposed rule would modify existing regulations to:

• Describe the increased involvement of the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health in the Final Adjudication Branch's consideration of objections to NIOSH's final radiation dose reconstruction reports.
• Align the processing and payment of medical bills with the system that other OWCP programs use.
• Increase the transparency of the process that covers exclusion of EEOICPA medical service providers.
• Set out a new process for authorizing in-home health care.

The proposal published on Nov. 18, 2015 in the Federal Register invites interested parties to submit written comments on the proposed rule at www.regulations.gov. To learn more about the proposed rule, please visit: http://www.dol.gov/owcp/energy/regs/compliance/news/revised_regulations.htm.