What This Bill Does
This bill allows physician assistants and nurse practitioners to provide medical services to injured federal workers under workers' compensation. The bill changes federal law to recognize these healthcare providers as approved medical professionals for federal employees who are hurt on the job.
Who It Affects
Injured federal workers, physician assistants, nurse practitioners, the Secretary of Labor, and federal agencies that employ workers.
Key Provisions
• Physician assistants and nurse practitioners are now recognized as "other eligible providers" for federal workers' compensation, provided they act within the scope of their practice as defined by state law (Sec. 2(a)(4))
• The bill changes federal compensation law to say "or other eligible provider" alongside "physician" in multiple sections that describe medical services for injured workers (Sec. 2(b))
• The Secretary of Labor must finalize rules within 6 months after the bill becomes law to put these changes into effect (Sec. 2(c))
What Changes
If this bill becomes law, injured federal workers can receive medical treatment from physician assistants and nurse practitioners as part of their workers' compensation benefits. These healthcare providers will have the same standing as physicians in federal workers' compensation cases.
Important Definitions
"Other eligible provider" means a nurse practitioner or physician assistant who works within the limits of their practice as defined by state law (Sec. 2(a)(4)).
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Union Calendar No. 472
118TH CONGRESS
2D SESSION
H. R. 618
[Report No. 118–571]
To amend chapter 81 of title 5, United States Code, to cover, for purposes
of workers’ compensation under such chapter, services by physician as-
sistants and nurse practitioners provided to injured Federal workers,
and for other purposes.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
JANUARY 30, 2023
Mr. WALBERG (for himself and Mr. COURTNEY) introduced the following bill;
which was referred to the Committee on Education and the Workforce
JULY 5, 2024
Additional sponsors: Mr. AMODEI, Ms. UNDERWOOD, Mr. TRONE, Ms. POR-
TER, Mr. RUPPERSBERGER, Mr. POCAN, Mr. TONKO, Ms. BLUNT ROCH-
ESTER, Ms. SEWELL, Mr. LYNCH, Mrs. DINGELL, Ms. KUSTER, Mr.
GROTHMAN, Mr. COHEN, Mr. CROW, Ms. BONAMICI, Mr. PAYNE, Mr.
LAWLER, Mr. HUIZENGA, Mr. HARDER of California, Mr. BACON, Ms.
SALINAS, Mr. OWENS, Mrs. KIGGANS of Virginia, Mr. SMITH of New Jer-
sey, Mr. THOMPSON of Pennsylvania, Ms. SHERRILL, Ms. STRICKLAND,
Mr. VEASEY, Mr. CARSON, Mr. GRIJALVA, Mr. CONNOLLY, Mr. PHIL-
LIPS, Mr. VARGAS, Ms. LEE of Nevada, Mr. BARR, Mr. ROGERS of Ala-
bama, Ms. LOFGREN, Ms. WILD, Ms. BALINT, Ms. JACKSON LEE, Ms.
LEGER FERNANDEZ, Mr. FOSTER, Mr. SUOZZI, Ms. MALLIOTAKIS, Mr.
LALOTA, Mr. GOLDMAN of New York, Ms. CLARKE of New York, Mr.
DELUZIO, Ms. LEE of Pennsylvania, Mr. DESAULNIER, Ms. JAYAPAL,
Ms. HOYLE of Oregon, and Mr. SWALWELL
JULY 5, 2024
Reported with an amendment, committed to the Committee of the Whole
House on the State of the Union, and ordered to be printed
[Strike out all after the enacting clause and insert the part printed in italic]
[For text of introduced bill, see copy of bill as introduced on January 30, 2023]
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•HR 618 RH
A BILL
To amend chapter 81 of title 5, United States Code, to
cover, for purposes of workers’ compensation under such
chapter, services by physician assistants and nurse prac-
titioners provided to injured Federal workers, and for
other purposes.
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•HR 618 RH
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
1
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
2
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
3
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Improving Access to
4
Workers’ Compensation for Injured Federal Workers Act’’.
5
SEC. 2. INCLUSION OF PHYSICIAN ASSISTANTS AND NURSE
6
PRACTITIONERS IN FEDERAL EMPLOYEES’
7
COMPENSATION ACT.
8
(a) INCLUSION.—Section 8101 of title 5, United States
9
Code, is amended—
10
(1) in paragraph (3), by inserting ‘‘, other eligi-
11
ble providers,’’ after ‘‘osteopathic practitioners’’;
12
(2) by striking ‘‘and’’ at the end of paragraphs
13
(18) and (19);
14
(3) by striking the period at the end of para-
15
graph (20) and inserting ‘‘; and’’; and
16
(4) by adding at the end the following:
17
‘‘(21) ‘other eligible provider’ means a nurse
18
practitioner or physician assistant within the scope of
19
their practice as defined by State law.’’.
20
(b) CONFORMING AMENDMENTS.—Chapter 81 of title
21
5, United States Code, is amended—
22
(1) in section 8103(a)—
23
(A) by inserting ‘‘or other eligible provider’’
24
after ‘‘physician’’ each place it appears; and
25
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•HR 618 RH
(B) in paragraph (3), by inserting ‘‘or
1
other eligible providers’’ after ‘‘physicians’’;
2
(2) in section 8121(6), by inserting ‘‘or other eli-
3
gible provider’’ after ‘‘physician’’; and
4
(3) in section 8123(a)—
5
(A) by inserting ‘‘or other eligible provider’’
6
after ‘‘The employee may have a physician’’; and
7
(B) by inserting ‘‘or other eligible provider’’
8
after ‘‘United States and the physician’’.
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(c) REGULATIONS.—Not later than 6 months after the
10
date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Labor shall
11
finalize rules to carry out the amendments made by this
12
Act.
13
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Union Calendar No. 472
118TH CONGRESS
2D SESSION
H. R. 618
[Report No. 118–571]
A BILL
To amend chapter 81 of title 5, United States
Code, to cover, for purposes of workers’ com-
pensation under such chapter, services by physi-
cian assistants and nurse practitioners provided
to injured Federal workers, and for other pur-
poses.
JULY 5, 2024
Reported with an amendment, committed to the Com-
mittee of the Whole House on the State of the Union,
and ordered to be printed
VerDate Sep 11 2014
19:07 Jul 05, 2024
Jkt 049200
PO 00000
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