OWCP seeking comments on black lung benefits

The Office of Workers' Compensation Programs proposed amendments to regulations implementing amendments to the Black Lung Benefits Act made by the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act.

The ACA revived a rebuttable presumption of total disability or death due to pneumoconiosis for certain claims. Also, it reinstituted derivative entitlement to benefits for certain eligible survivors of coal miners whose lifetime benefits claims were awarded because they were totally disabled due to pneumoconiosis. These survivors need not also prove that the miner died due to coal workers' pneumoconiosis. The proposed rules would clarify how the statutory presumption may be invoked and rebutted and the application and scope of the derivative-survivor-entitlement provision. The department is accepting written comments until May 29. Those with questions should contact Michael McClaran at (202) 693-0978.

For more information, visit www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/FR-2012-03-30/html/2012-7335.htm.

Washington: Department smoothes out conflicting provider network rules (10/08/12)
Texas: Amendments align health care rules (09/01/11)
Delaware: Regs focus on payment in surgery preauthorization requests (07/19/12)
Massachusetts: Department spells out chronic pain treatment (08/01/11)
Oregon: Hearing services are subject of temporary rules (05/31/12)

Read more at the WorkersComp Forum homepage.

May 14, 2012

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