U.S. DEPARTMENT OF LABOR 

EMPLOYMBN1' S-:rAN"D\Rrs ADMI.NIS'rltATION 

Office of Workmen's Compensation Programs Wash:ingtoo, D.C. 

November 15, 1972 

IMPORTANT NOTICE TO INSURANCE CARRIERS 

AND SELF-INSURED EMPLOYERS 

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SUBJECT: Medical Care Under the Provisions of Section 7 

of the Amended Longshoremen's and Harbor Workers' 

Compensation Act, as extended, including the 

District of Columbia Workmen's Compensation Act 

Section 7 of the Longshoremen's and Harbor Workers' 

Compensation Act has been amended by P.L. 92-576, enacted 

October 27, 1972, to provide: 

a. That the employee may choose his own physician from those authorized by the Secretary of Labor. 

b. That, when inmediate treatment is needed and the 

employee is unable to choose, the employer shall select a 

physician; 

c. That the treating physician should, within 10 

days following first treatment, furnish the first report of examination and medical treatment to the Deputy Commissioner and to the employer. 

d. That the Secretary of Labor shall actively supervise the medical care rendered. 

The Office of Workmen's Compensation Programs has been 

charged with administering the Act as extended and amended, 

2021! 

for the Secretary of Labor. Until regulations are promu1 6ated ~ publication in the Federal ~E!g1ster and forms are esta lished 

under Section 7 of the amended Act, the following procedures for prov1drng medTca'r"care shalfappTy: 

Include your addrrss, ZIP wd,, and ftk m,m/,,r on all cormpond,nr, 
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1. The employer continues to be responsible for 

furnishing complete medical care for the injury, as 

spelled out in Section 7(a) of the Act. 

2. The employee, however, now has the right to 

choose an attending physician authorized by OWCP. 

OWCP ~ designati!l;l_ physicians authorized 

to render medical care under the amended Act 

_all duly gua!Tffed .eJ:ivsicians, to include.-

surgeons and osteopathic practitioners within 

the sc1pe of their practice ~ defined fu'. 

State aw. 

Until OWCP prepares and distributes a new posting notice 

advising employees of the new medical provisions, each 

employer having employees covered by the Act, or any of 

its extensions, shall post a notice on employee bulletin 

boards and use other appropriate communications to notify his employees of their right to make a "free choice" of 

physicians and to explain the proper procedure for an 

employee to obtain necessary medical treatment under the 

Act. 

3. Promptly following an injury, the employer shall 

ascertain the name of the physician or hospital to which 

the employee wishes to be referred for treatment. Then, 

without delay, the employer shall .1!!. writing authorize that 

physician or hospital to provide necessary treatment. 

Any claim for medical expenses made by an employee who fails 

to obtain authorization for treatment may be denied. 

The treating physician should, within 10 days following first 

treatment, submit the first report of examination and medical 

treatment to (a) the Deputy Commissioner, and (b) the employer (or the employer's insurance carrier). 

Thereafter, the treating physician should submit reports at 

regular intervals on medical report form LS-204, original to 

the Deputy Commissioner and copy to the employer. 

4. If an employee unreasonably fails to submit to medical 

treatment, or to examination by the employer's examining physi- cian, the Deputy Commissioner may suspend compensation payments. 
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5. The Deputy Commissioner is responsible for actively supervisin9 medical care rendered to injured employees. He 

shall: (a) Require periodic reports on medical care being rendered, and (b) Determine the necessity, character, and 

sufficiency of any medical aid furnished or to be furnished. 

He may order a change of physicians or hospitals when, in his 

judgment, such change is desirable or necessary in the interest 

of the employee. 

. 6. Should medical questions arise, the Deputy Commissioner 

may arran~e a "referee" medical examination as provided in 

Section 7le) and (f) of the Act. 

7. Medical charges shall be reasonably corrrnensurate 

with charges for similar medical professional services 

rendered and supplies furnished in the same general area. 

Your workmen's compensation departments. your field repre- sentatives who service workmen's compensation claims under 

the Act, as extended, and the employers whom you service 

should be acquainted with these procedures, which become 

effjctive immediately. 

c.---zl,a,vlSI- /J.. ~' ~ HERBERT A. DOYLE, JR. 

Acting Director, Office of 

Workmen's Compensation Programs