Improving Access to Workers’ Compensation for Injured Federal Workers Act of 2023

Subjects: Government Operations and Politics

Summary:  <p><b>Improving Access to Workers' Compensation for Injured Federal Workers Act of </b><b>2023</b></p> <p>This bill expands the role of nurse practitioners and physician assistants in providing services to injured federal workers under the federal workers' compensation program. </p> <p>Specifically, under the program, nurse practitioners and physician assistants acting within the scope of their practice may (1) prescribe or recommend treatment for injured federal workers; (2) certify the nature of an injury and probable extent of disability; (3) provide prescribed treatment for injured federal workers; and (4) participate, with a physician designated by the Department of Labor, in a mandatory workers' compensation examination of an injured worker. In general, only physicians may fulfill these roles under current law.</p>

<html><body><pre>[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 131 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

&lt;DOC&gt;






118th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                 S. 131

   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 practitioners provided to injured 
                Federal workers, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                            January 30, 2023

Mr. Brown (for himself and Ms. Collins) introduced the following bill; 
which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security 
                        and Governmental Affairs

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 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 practitioners provided to injured 
                Federal workers, and for other purposes.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Improving Access to Workers' 
Compensation for Injured Federal Workers Act of 2023''.

SEC. 2. INCLUSION OF PHYSICIAN ASSISTANTS AND NURSE PRACTITIONERS IN 
              FEDERAL EMPLOYEES' COMPENSATION ACT.

    (a) Inclusion.--Section 8101 of title 5, United States Code, is 
amended--
            (1) in paragraph (3), by inserting ``, other eligible 
        providers,'' after ``osteopathic practitioners'';
            (2) by striking ``and'' at the end of paragraphs (18) and 
        (19);
            (3) by striking the period at the end of paragraph (20) and 
        inserting ``; and''; and
            (4) by adding at the end the following:
            ``(21) `other eligible provider' means a nurse practitioner 
        or physician assistant within the scope of their practice as 
        defined by State law.''.
    (b) Conforming Amendments.--Chapter 81 of title 5, United States 
Code, is amended--
            (1) in section 8103(a)--
                    (A) by inserting ``or other eligible provider'' 
                after ``physician'' in each instance; and
                    (B) in paragraph (3), by inserting ``or other 
                eligible providers'' after ``physicians'';
            (2) in section 8121(6), by inserting ``or other eligible 
        provider'' after ``physician''; and
            (3) in section 8123(a)--
                    (A) by inserting ``or other eligible provider'' 
                after ``The employee may have a physician''; and
                    (B) by inserting ``or other eligible provider'' 
                after ``United States and the physician''.
    (c) Regulations.--Not later than 6 months after the date of 
enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall finalize rules to carry out 
the amendments made by this Act.

SEC. 3. DETERMINATION OF BUDGETARY EFFECTS.

    The budgetary effects of this Act, for the purpose of complying 
with the Statutory Pay-As-You-Go Act of 2010, shall be determined by 
reference to the latest statement titled ``Budgetary Effects of PAYGO 
Legislation'' for this Act, submitted for printing in the Congressional 
Record by the Chairman of the House Budget Committee, provided that 
such statement has been submitted prior to the vote on passage.
                                 &lt;all&gt;
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