3.0.0 2205 2022-11-01T13:50:27Z 2022-11-01T13:50:27Z Senate S 2019-07-23 116 sshr00 Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee Senate Standing Referred to 2019-07-23T21:32:42Z 2019-07-23 sshr00 Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee Senate Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions. IntroReferral 2019-07-23 Introduced in Senate IntroReferral 10000 9 Library of Congress C001070 Sen. Casey, Robert P., Jr. [D-PA] Bob Casey D PA N B000944 Sen. Brown, Sherrod [D-OH] Sherrod Brown D OH 2019-07-23 True K000384 Sen. Kaine, Tim [D-VA] Timothy Kaine D VA M. 2019-07-23 True W000805 Sen. Warner, Mark R. [D-VA] Mark Warner D VA R. 2019-07-23 True M001183 Sen. Manchin, Joe, III [D-WV] Joseph Manchin D WV 2019-07-23 True Labor and Employment Administrative law and regulatory procedures Administrative remedies Cardiovascular and respiratory health Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Coal Congressional oversight Department of Labor Disability assistance Evidence and witnesses Executive agency funding and structure Fraud offenses and financial crimes Government information and archives Government studies and investigations Health Health information and medical records Health personnel Legal fees and court costs Medical ethics Medical tests and diagnostic methods Mining Social security and elderly assistance Tax administration and collection, taxpayers User charges and fees Wages and earnings Worker safety and health Labor and Employment 00 2019-07-23 Introduced in Senate 2021-01-19T17:20:00Z Black Lung Benefits Improvement Act of 2019

This bill revises requirements for miners' claims for pneumoconiosis (black lung) benefits.

Specifically, the bill requires the Department of Labor to

  • pay the attorneys' fees of prevailing parties on a qualifying benefit claim;
  • give a claimant the opportunity to substantiate a claim for benefits through a pulmonary evaluation;
  • authorize a CT (computerized tomography) scan in diagnosing complicated pneumoconiosis;
  • educate certain individuals who work on black lung benefits about medical evidence relevant to claims;
  • use data from continuous personal dust monitors to determine whether to make changes to respirable dust concentration standards, controls, and measurements; and
  • develop a strategy to reduce delays in adjudication of black lung benefits claims.

The bill also requires the Government Accountability Office to report on barriers to health care faced by coal miners with black lung.

The bill authorizes (1) black lung clinics to use federal funds to help individuals file claims, and (2) previously denied claimants to file a new claim for black lung benefits within one year.

The bill prohibits a person from (1) knowingly and willfully making a false statement or misrepresentation in increasing or reducing black lung benefits, or (2) threatening or misleading a participant in a proceeding regarding black lung benefits.

Further, the bill revises (1) the standards of medical evidence that establish a presumption that a miner is totally disabled by black lung, and (2) payments to such miners.

Lastly, the bill provides statutory authority for the Office of Workers' Compensation Programs.

]]> Black Lung Benefits Improvement Act of 2019 Display Title Black Lung Benefits Improvement Act of 2019 Short Title(s) as Introduced Black Lung Benefits Improvement Act of 2019 Introduced in Senate IS Official Title as Introduced A bill to ensure that claims for benefits under the Black Lung Benefits Act are processed in a fair and timely manner, to better protect miners from pneumoconiosis (commonly known as "black lung disease"), and for other purposes. Introduced in Senate IS Introduced in Senate 2019-07-23T04:00:00Z https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/BILLS-116s2205is/xml/BILLS-116s2205is.xml 2019-07-23 Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions. text/xml EN Pursuant to Title 17 Section 105 of the United States Code, this file is not subject to copyright protection and is in the public domain. Congressional Research Service, Library of Congress This file contains bill summaries and statuses for federal legislation. A bill summary describes the most significant provisions of a piece of legislation and details the effects the legislative text may have on current law and federal programs. Bill summaries are authored by the Congressional Research Service (CRS) of the Library of Congress. As stated in Public Law 91-510 (2 USC 166 (d)(6)), one of the duties of CRS is "to prepare summaries and digests of bills and resolutions of a public general nature introduced in the Senate or House of Representatives". For more information, refer to the User Guide that accompanies this file.