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.

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.

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” each place it appears; 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”;

(B) by inserting “or other eligible provider” after “United States and the physician”; and

(C) by striking “a third physician” and inserting “an additional physician”.

(c) Regulations.—Not later than 6 months after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Labor shall finalize rules to carry out the amendments made by this Act.