[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 27 (Friday, February 8, 2019)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 3026-3060]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2019-00581]



[[Page 3025]]

Vol. 84

Friday,

No. 27

February 8, 2019

Part III





 Department of Labor





-----------------------------------------------------------------------





 Office of Workers' Compensation Programs





-----------------------------------------------------------------------





20 CFR Part 30





 Claims for Compensation Under the Energy Employees Occupational 
Illness Compensation Program Act; Final Rule

  Federal Register / Vol. 84 , No. 27 / Friday, February 8, 2019 / 
Rules and Regulations  

[[Page 3026]]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

Office of Workers' Compensation Programs

20 CFR Part 30

RIN 1240-AA08


Claims for Compensation Under the Energy Employees Occupational 
Illness Compensation Program Act

AGENCY: Office of Workers' Compensation Programs, Department of Labor.

ACTION: Final rule.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: The Department of Labor initiated this rulemaking to bring 
clarity to the regulatory description of the claims adjudication 
process, and to improve the administration of the program. This final 
rule updates existing regulations to remove obsolete terms, update 
references and incorporate policy and procedural changes. It also adds 
necessary controls to allow the Department to better manage the 
provision of home health care to beneficiaries.

DATES: Effective Date: This final rule is effective on April 9, 2019, 
and will apply to all claims filed on or after that date. This rule 
will also apply to any claims that are pending on April 9, 2019.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Rachel P. Leiton, Director, Division 
of Energy Employees Occupational Illness Compensation, Office of 
Workers' Compensation Programs, U.S. Department of Labor, Room C-3321, 
200 Constitution Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20210, Telephone: 202-693-
0081 (this is not a toll-free number). Individuals with hearing or 
speech impairments may access this telephone number via TTY by calling 
the toll-free Federal Information Relay Service at 1-800-877-8339.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

I. Background of This Rulemaking

    The Department of Labor (Department) published its Notice of 
Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) in the Federal Register on November 18, 2015 
(80 FR 72296). In its NPRM, the Department proposed amending certain of 
the existing regulations governing its administration of Parts B and E 
of the Energy Employees Occupational Illness Compensation Program Act 
of 2000, as amended (EEOICPA or Act), 42 U.S.C. 7384 et seq to conform 
them to current administrative practice, based on its experience 
administering the Act since 2001, to bring further clarity to the 
regulatory description of the claims adjudication process, and to 
improve the administration of the Act. The majority of the changes in 
the NPRM consisted of routine updates to the existing regulations to 
remove obsolete terms, update references and incorporate policy changes 
that have already been adopted in the Federal (EEOICPA) Procedure 
Manual. Most significantly, the Department proposed modifying the 
existing regulations to describe the increased involvement of the 
National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), within 
the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), in the Office of 
Workers' Compensation Programs' (OWCP's) consideration of objections to 
NIOSH's final radiation dose reconstruction reports. Since the 
beginning of OWCP's administration of Part B of EEOICPA, Final 
Adjudication Branch (FAB) reviewers have struggled with their 
regulatory obligation in existing Sec.  30.318 to consider objections 
to final dose reconstruction reports that have been prepared by NIOSH 
during its portion of the adjudication process for radiogenic cancer 
claims. The experience has also been frustrating for claimants, and 
convinced the Department that FAB reviewers are ill-suited to address 
objections that concern matters within the particular scientific 
expertise of NIOSH. Since NIOSH agreed to consider and address claimant 
concerns in the final dose reconstruction report it sends to OWCP, and 
also agreed to provide consultation at the request of FAB reviewers to 
address any objections raised while the claim is pending before FAB, 
the Department proposed modifying Sec.  30.318(a). That proposed 
paragraph describes the potential for NIOSH to provide consultation in 
FAB's consideration of objections to final dose reconstruction reports, 
and this consultation process will provide for a more complete 
consideration of the claimant's objections. In addition, the Department 
proposed changes in the NPRM to align the processing and payment of 
medical bills with the system that OWCP currently uses for paying 
medical bills, updated the process for excluding EEOICPA medical 
service providers and set out a new process for authorizing home health 
care.
    The Department notes that this final rule is largely an update to 
the existing regulations to reflect the program's current processes, 
and incorporates the policy and procedural changes that have been 
implemented since the existing regulations were issued in 2006, rather 
than imposing any new regulatory burdens. However, it puts necessary 
controls in place to allow the Department to better manage the 
provision of home health care to beneficiaries, since these costs have 
been rising over the past decade, and reduces the likelihood of 
fraudulent practices by some providers of this care. Accordingly, the 
Department believes that the likely benefits of this rulemaking for 
both OWCP and the public, in the form of regularized, simplified, and 
less costly administrative practices of OWCP, and the reduced need for 
costly overpayment-recovery efforts, will clearly outweigh any unlikely 
and presumably intangible burdens on businesses and the public at 
large.

II. Comments on the Proposed Regulations

    The Department originally allowed a 60-day period for interested 
parties to comment on the NPRM that was scheduled to close on January 
19, 2016, but on that date it extended the comment period another 30 
days through February 18, 2016 (81 FR 2787). In addition, on April 5, 
2016, the Department reopened the comment period for the NPRM through 
May 9, 2016 (81 FR 19518). During these comment periods, the Department 
received a total of 493 timely comments from the following 474 unique 
commenters: 272 individuals; 158 unknown persons or organizations; 25 
physicians; 6 claimant representatives; 5 advocacy groups; 3 health 
care providers; 1 congressional representative; 1 labor organization; 1 
Federal employee from an agency other than the Department; 1 law firm 
and the new Advisory Board on Toxic Substances and Worker Health 
established under section 7385s-16 of EEOICPA. The Department also 
received one untimely comment from an individual that raised issues 
that were also raised by the timely commenters.
    Of the 493 timely comments, 220 did not address any aspect of the 
proposed regulatory changes in the NPRM and are not discussed further 
in this document. This left 273 comments, of which 128 only asked the 
Department to extend the comment period for the NPRM, but did not 
discuss any other aspect of the NPRM. The remaining 145 comments 
referenced at least one change to the existing regulations suggested in 
the proposed rule; 7 of these 145 also included an extension request. 
The Department's section-by-section analysis of the 145 timely comments 
is set forth below (see section III). A brief discussion of the total 
of 135 extension

[[Page 3027]]

requests and other ancillary matters related to this rulemaking is also 
set forth below (see section IV).

III. Section-by-Section Analysis

    The analysis in this section provides the Department's response to 
public comments received on the NPRM. Unless otherwise stated, the 
section numbers in the text of the analysis refer to the numbering used 
for the final regulations.

Subpart A--General Provisions

Introduction

    In the NPRM, the Department proposed modifying existing Sec.  30.1 
to update the Secretary's Order reference and delete the reference to 
the Assistant Secretary for Employment Standards, since that position, 
as well as the Employment Standards Administration, no longer exists. A 
claimant representative agreed with the Department's deletion of those 
references. An individual commented on other aspects of proposed Sec.  
30.1 that are no different from the existing Sec.  30.1. Because the 
individual's comment did not refer to a change that was proposed in the 
NPRM, no amendment was made in the final rule with respect to this 
comment.
    Proposed Sec.  30.2(b) added language to that section to note that 
HHS delegated its dose reconstruction responsibilities to NIOSH in 42 
CFR 82.1. A claimant representative suggested that the Department 
should retain the reference to HHS that appears in existing Sec.  
30.2(b). However, the Department believes that explicitly acknowledging 
this delegation will promote better public understanding of the fact 
that this particular portion of the claim adjudication process is 
performed by and under the exclusive control of another Federal agency. 
Under these circumstances, no changes were made in the final rule with 
respect to this comment. An individual commented on other aspects of 
proposed Sec.  30.2(b) that are no different from the existing Sec.  
30.2(b). Because the individual's comment did not refer to a change 
that was proposed in the NPRM, no amendment was made in the final rule 
with respect to this comment.

Definitions

    The Department proposed amending the definition of a beryllium 
vendor in existing Sec.  30.5(i) by removing the language indicating 
that the Department of Energy (DOE) periodically updated a list of 
beryllium vendors in the Federal Register, since DOE no longer has the 
statutory authority to designate beryllium vendors, and replaced it 
with a reference to the final list of beryllium vendors that DOE 
compiled on December 27, 2002. One individual objected to the proposed 
language, because he believed that the change did not acknowledge that 
additional beryllium vendor facilities, i.e., newly identified 
locations where beryllium vendors performed their work, could still be 
designated. While DOE's authority to designate new beryllium vendors 
expired on December 31, 2002 pursuant to 42 U.S.C. 7384m, the 
Department agrees that there is authority, as the individual pointed 
out, to designate additional beryllium vendor facilities, and notes 
that additional beryllium vendor facilities have been designated after 
December 31, 2002. The Department therefore agrees that the proposed 
language might cause confusion, and is clarifying it in the final rule 
by removing the term ``facilities'' and replacing it with ``other 
entities.'' This change will acknowledge the continuing authority to 
designate additional beryllium vendor facilities that are, or have 
been, owned and operated by either a beryllium vendor identified in 
section 7384l(6) of EEOICPA or a beryllium vendor designated by DOE 
prior to December 31, 2002. The same individual also suggested that the 
Department amend proposed Sec.  30.5(i) to clarify the distinction 
between corporate beryllium vendors identified in EEOICPA and those 
designated by DOE prior to December 31, 2002. The Department sees no 
utility in making the suggested distinction, particularly in the 
context of claims adjudication, and therefore did not alter the text as 
desired.
    In the NPRM, the Department proposed adding a new paragraph, Sec.  
30.5(j), to define the term beryllium vendor facility. To accommodate 
this proposed addition, the Department also proposed redesignating 
existing paragraphs (j) through (hh) as paragraphs (k) through (ii). 
Proposed Sec.  30.5(j) defined the term beryllium vendor facility as 
``a facility owned and operated by a beryllium vendor.'' Two claimant 
representatives and three advocacy groups objected to proposed Sec.  
30.5(j) because they believed that the proposed definition would 
impermissibly narrow the scope of coverage as set out in EEOICPA for 
both current and potential covered beryllium employees. These 
commenters suggested that proposed Sec.  30.5(j) be amended to include 
the words ``occupied by a beryllium vendor'' to specifically align the 
definition with section 7384l(7)(A) of EEOICPA, which refers to ``a 
facility owned, operated or occupied by a beryllium vendor.'' While the 
Department acknowledges that section 7384l(7)(A) refers to ``a facility 
owned, operated or occupied by a beryllium vendor,'' employees who 
satisfy that first provision must also show that they were exposed in 
the performance of duty under section 7384n(a)(2), which refers to ``a 
facility owned and operated by a beryllium vendor.'' Put simply, an 
employee must satisfy both statutory provisions to be entitled to Part 
B benefits due to a beryllium illness. Thus, the narrower of those two 
implicit definitions of a ``beryllium vendor facility'' controls. The 
Department notes, however, that the proposed definition did not, nor 
could it, alter the eligibility of workers at beryllium vendor 
facilities. Accordingly, no changes were made in the final rule with 
respect to these comments.
    Proposed Sec.  30.5(k)(2) suggested replacing the term ``medical 
doctor'' with ``licensed physician'' in the existing definition of 
chronic silicosis that currently appears in existing Sec.  30.5(j)(2). 
One claimant representative commented on the language in existing Sec.  
30.5(k), which contains a definition of the term claim, rather than on 
the proposed change to the definition of chronic silicosis. Since the 
claimant representative's comment did not refer to a change that was 
proposed in the NPRM, no amendment was made in the final rule with 
respect to this comment.
    Proposed Sec.  30.5(w) updated the existing definition of the 
Department of Energy or DOE to clarify that DOE's predecessor agencies 
date back to August 13, 1942, which is the date that the Manhattan 
Engineer District was established. Two advocacy groups asserted that 
the start date of DOE's predecessor agencies in proposed Sec.  30.5(w) 
would prevent some employees who worked on the atomic bomb from 
applying for benefits, and suggested that the start date should conform 
with the employment eligibility criteria under section 5 of RECA. 
However, the Department notes that such a proposal is not legally 
permissible because section 7384l(10) of EEOICPA provides that the term 
``Department of Energy'' includes the Manhattan Engineer District, 
which was established on August 13, 1942, not January 1, 1942. Since 
the proposed regulatory language aligns with section 7384l(10), no 
change was made to Sec.  30.5(w) in the final rule. One claimant 
representative also commented on Sec.  30.5(w), but did not comment on 
a proposed change in that provision. Because the claimant 
representative's

[[Page 3028]]

comment did not refer to a change that was proposed in the NPRM, no 
amendment was made in the final rule with respect to this comment.
    In proposed Sec.  30.5(x), the Department added Sec.  
30.5(x)(2)(iii) to the definition of a Department of Energy contractor 
employee in existing Sec.  30.5(w) to state that a civilian employee of 
a state or Federal government agency qualifies as a DOE contractor 
employee if the agency employing that individual is found to have 
entered into a contract with DOE for the provision of one or more 
services it was not statutorily obligated to perform and DOE 
compensated the agency for those services, and also that the delivery 
or removal of goods from the premises of a DOE facility does not 
constitute a service for the purposes of determining a worker's 
coverage under the Act. Four advocacy groups, one claimant 
representative, two individuals and the labor organization objected to 
the added language regarding the delivery or removal of goods for the 
purposes of determining a worker's coverage under the Act. However, 
that language memorializes a policy that has been followed by OWCP 
since it issued EEOICPA Bulletin No. 03-27 in 2003, and that policy 
continues to conform with the eligibility terms of the statute. Because 
Sec.  30.5(x)(2)(iii) merely updates the current regulations with 
OWCP's longstanding policy, the requested changes were not made in the 
final rule. Another claimant representative commented on aspects of 
existing Sec.  30.5(x), but did not comment on a proposed change in 
that provision. Since the individual's comment did not refer to a 
change that was proposed in the NPRM, no amendment was made in the 
final rule with respect to this comment.
    Proposed Sec.  30.5(ee) amended the definition of a physician in 
existing Sec.  30.5(dd), which states that a ``physician includes'' a 
list of types of physicians, by stating that a ``physician means'' that 
same list. Two advocacy groups, one Federal employee, the labor 
organization and one health care provider suggested that the Department 
retain the word ``includes'' so that medical doctors and other medical 
specialists are included in that definition. The Department agrees with 
these commenters and acknowledges that the proposed change would have 
had unintended consequences. Accordingly, the Department is reverting 
back to using the word ``includes'' in the final rule. One of those 
same advocacy groups and another health care provider suggested adding 
nurse practitioners and/or physician assistants to this regulatory 
definition because these practitioners are qualified to prescribe 
medication in some jurisdictions. However, while the Department 
acknowledges that nurse practitioners and physician assistants can 
provide valuable services to patients who reside in remote locations, 
their written opinions are not widely accepted as probative and 
persuasive medical evidence. To make that point clear, the Department 
has added text to this effect to Sec.  30.5(ee) in the final rule. 
Finally, one claimant representative referred to something that was not 
changed in proposed Sec.  30.5(ee). Because the claimant 
representative's comment does not pertain to a change in proposed Sec.  
30.5(ee), no change was made in the final rule based on this comment.
    Proposed Sec.  30.5(gg) removed references to ``RECA'' and 
``EEOICPA'' in the existing definition of a specified cancer in Sec.  
30.5(ff). One claimant representative suggested that the Department 
should retain those references. However, the Department notes that 
these two statutory references are clearly surplusage and serve no 
useful purpose in the regulatory context. Therefore, the suggested 
change to this paragraph was not adopted in the final rule.
    The Department proposed to expand upon the definition of the term 
time of injury in existing Sec.  30.5(hh) by adding text in proposed 
Sec.  30.5(ii)(2) to explain that the time of injury in a survivor's 
claim is the ``date of the employee's death.'' Four advocacy groups, a 
claimant representative, a physician and the labor organization 
disagreed with the proposed definition, based on their concern that the 
proposed text could deprive survivors of reimbursement for medical 
expenses in situations when a covered employee dies after filing a 
claim, but before such claim is accepted. Section 7385i(a) of EEOICPA 
is the only place in the statute that Congress used the term ``time of 
injury,'' and the Department notes that proposed Sec.  30.5(ii)(2) was 
intended to clarify how the forfeiture provision in section 7385i(a) 
works when a survivor, as distinguished from an employee, is convicted 
of fraud in the application for or receipt of EEOICPA benefits or of 
Federal or state workers' compensation benefits. It was the 
Department's intention in the NPRM to give full force and effect to 
this important fraud prevention provision. Because this definition only 
impacts those survivors who have committed fraud of the sort that 
triggers the forfeiture provision of section 7385i(a), and the 
overwhelming majority of survivors who might be eligible to claim this 
reimbursement do not engage in such fraudulent acts, they will not be 
affected in any way by this clarification. Accordingly, no change was 
made to Sec.  30.5(ii)(2) in the final rule.
    In the NPRM, the Department proposed adding new paragraph Sec.  
30.5(jj) to define the terms time of payment or payment. To accommodate 
this addition, the Department also proposed redesignating existing 
paragraphs (ii) and (jj) as paragraphs (kk) and (ll). Proposed Sec.  
30.5(jj) defined time of payment or payment as the date that (1) a 
paper check issued by the Department of the Treasury was received by 
the payee or by someone who was legally able to act for the payee, or 
(2) the date the Department of the Treasury made an Electronic Funds 
Transfer to the payee's financial institution. One claimant 
representative objected to the proposed definition and argued that the 
Department should define this term by referring to the time a payment 
is issued, rather than received. However, the commenter erroneously 
believes that it is OWCP that issues payments on claims under EEOICPA, 
when as noted above, it is the Department of the Treasury that performs 
these ministerial functions. Therefore, since the date a payment is 
issued is not entirely within OWCP's control, nothing in this final 
rule could alter when payment by either paper check or Electronic Funds 
Transfer occurs. Thus, the suggested change to this paragraph was not 
made in the final rule.

Subpart B--Filing Claims; Evidence and Burden of Proof; Special 
Procedures for Certain Cancer Claims

Filing Claims for Benefits Under EEOICPA

    Proposed Sec.  30.100(a) and (c)(1) removed language that would 
allow certain persons other than the employee to sign a written claim 
with OWCP on the employee's behalf, and instead required that the 
employee sign his or her own claim. Proposed Sec.  30.101(a) and (d)(1) 
made the same change with respect to survivor claims. Three claimant 
representatives, three individuals, two health care providers, one 
advocacy group and the labor organization objected to the Department's 
change in proposed Sec.  30.100(a) and (c)(1) to require an employee to 
sign his or her own written claim. The same three claimant 
representatives, the same three individuals, the same advocacy group 
and the same labor organization objected to the same change made in 
proposed Sec.  30.101(a) and (d)(1). These commenters were concerned 
that the

[[Page 3029]]

requirement would cause undue difficulty and delay in the submission of 
claims by some elderly or otherwise impaired individuals. However, when 
signing Forms EE-1 and EE-2, a claimant makes certain certifications 
with possible legal ramifications, and authorizes the release of 
information to OWCP. Therefore, it is reasonable to require claimants 
to sign the form, particularly since doing so will be an objective 
indication that he or she is aware of these matters. The same advocacy 
group and one of the three individuals suggested that these sections 
should be written so as to accommodate those claimants who may be 
unable to sign a claim form. OWCP already accepts, and will continue to 
accept, claim forms signed by a valid attorney-in-fact or court-
appointed representative. An individual other than a claimant may sign 
the claim form for the claimant if they have the recognized authority 
to do so, and are not otherwise prohibited under any other provision in 
these regulations. Therefore, the Department has not made the suggested 
changes to Sec.  30.100(a) and (c)(1), or to Sec.  30.101(a) and 
(d)(1), in the final rule.
    Also in proposed Sec. Sec.  30.100 and 30.101, the Department 
proposed amending language that currently only recognizes postmark 
dates as evidence of the time a claim is filed to also recognize the 
date-markings of other carriers, since other delivery options besides 
the U.S. Mail are widely used. A claimant representative indicated that 
she did not see any reason for making these proposed changes, and 
suggested that the additional language be removed. However, since the 
proposed language at issue in these two sections adds new ways for a 
claimant to establish the date he or she filed a claim, which is 
important because the date of filing also marks the date of 
commencement for the potential payment of medical benefits, the 
claimant representative's belief is unfounded. Therefore, no change was 
made in the final rule in response to this comment.
    In the NPRM, proposed Sec.  30.102(a) removed the superfluous word 
``minimum'' from the term ``minimum impairment rating'' in existing 
Sec.  30.102(a). A claimant representative objected to that change, and 
pointed out that this word appears in the statutory description of 
impairment ratings found in section 7385s-2(a)(1)(A)(i) of EEOICPA. 
However, as the Department explained when it published proposed Sec.  
30.102(a), the term ``minimum impairment rating'' is an artifact left 
over from an early draft of the legislation that was later enacted as 
Part E of EEOICPA and has no intrinsic meaning in the scheme that 
Congress eventually passed. Since there is no practical difference 
between a ``minimum impairment rating'' and an ``impairment rating'' 
when a claimant has reached maximum medical improvement, no amendment 
was made in the final rule in response to this comment.

Evidence and Burden of Proof

    In proposed Sec.  30.110(a)(1), the Department updated a cross-
reference to reflect the changed location of the regulatory provision 
defining the term covered beryllium illness from Sec.  30.5(o) to Sec.  
30.5(p). Also, in proposed Sec.  30.110(a)(4), the Department updated a 
cross-reference to reflect the changed location of the regulatory 
provision defining the term covered uranium employee from Sec.  30.5(s) 
to Sec.  30.5(t). Finally, in proposed Sec.  30.110(b), the Department 
updated a cross-reference to reflect the changed location of the 
regulatory provision defining the term covered Part E employee from 
Sec.  30.5(p) to Sec.  30.5(q). A claimant representative questioned 
the need to change these regulatory cross-references in proposed Sec.  
30.110(a) and (b), and suggested that the existing cross-references be 
retained. However, the Department notes that these changes were 
necessary to reflect the changed location of the specified regulatory 
provisions. Therefore, no change was made to Sec.  30.110(a) or (b) in 
the final rule.
    In the NPRM, proposed Sec.  30.112(b)(3) removed the term ``self-
serving'' when referring to affidavits submitted to establish covered 
employment, and also removed language that ``OWCP may reject the claim 
based upon a lack of evidence of covered employment'' when DOE or 
another entity either disagrees, or cannot concur or disagree with the 
assertion in a written affidavit or declaration of covered employment. 
In its place, proposed Sec.  30.112(b)(3) explained that OWCP will 
evaluate such an affidavit in conjunction with the other evidence of 
employment when DOE or another entity either disagrees, or cannot 
concur or disagree with the assertion, and ``may determine that the 
claimant has not met his or her burden of proof under Sec.  30.111.'' A 
claimant representative agreed with removing the term ``self-serving,'' 
but stated that the added language in that provision might signify that 
OWCP will always make a finding of no covered employment based on this 
type of evidence, and suggested adding language that ``objective'' 
evidence such as statements from co-workers, social security records, 
and payroll records will be considered as evidence of employment. An 
advocacy group had the same concern regarding the effect of the changes 
made in proposed Sec.  30.112(b)(3), and noted that DOE does not have 
complete employment records. Both commenters asked the Department to 
clearly define several terms used in the proposed text that explain how 
OWCP will evaluate affidavit evidence in these situations. However, 
proposed Sec.  30.112(b)(3) described OWCP's longstanding method of 
evaluating employment evidence, which necessarily involves a high 
degree of administrative discretion, and therefore the Department is 
not persuaded that it would be appropriate to make the above changes in 
the final rule. An individual mistakenly asserted that OWCP does not 
accept affidavit evidence to prove covered employment, but did not 
comment on the proposed change in that provision. Because the 
individual's comment did not refer to a change that was proposed in the 
NPRM, no change was made to Sec.  30.112(b)(3) in the final rule with 
respect to this comment. However, the Department has decided that it 
needs to conform the regulatory language of Sec.  30.112(b)(3) with the 
related text of Sec.  30.231(a) in the final rule, by specifying that 
if the only evidence that the claimant submits to establish covered 
employment is an affidavit, OWCP will evaluate that affidavit in 
conjunction with the other available evidence of employment in the 
record.
    Proposed Sec.  30.113(c) removed the term ``self-serving'' when 
referring to documents submitted to establish a covered medical 
condition, and instead proposed language codifying OWCP's current 
method of evaluating all medical evidence in a claim when it decides if 
the claimant has met his or her burden of proof under Sec.  30.111. A 
claimant representative and a health care provider suggested that the 
Department further define several terms it used in proposed Sec.  
30.113(c). The Department believes that OWCP's evaluation of medical 
evidence is a matter of administrative discretion and cannot reasonably 
be further defined. An individual mistakenly asserted that OWCP does 
not accept the type of medical evidence described in proposed Sec.  
30.113(c), but did not comment on the proposed change in that 
provision. Because the individual's comment did not refer to a change 
that was proposed in the NPRM, no change was made to Sec.  30.113(c) in 
the final rule with respect to this comment.
    The Department proposed modifying existing Sec.  30.114(b) in the 
NPRM to clarify that current paragraphs (b)(1) and (b)(2) pertain to 
medical evidence

[[Page 3030]]

needed to establish a compensable medical condition under Part B, and 
added paragraph (b)(3) to provide that additional medical evidence, as 
described in other sections of the regulations, is required to 
establish claims for covered illness(es), impairment benefits and wage-
loss benefits under Part E. A claimant representative agreed with the 
Department's changes in proposed Sec.  30.114(b)(1) and (2), but 
asserted that proposed Sec.  30.114(b)(3)(ii) wrongly required a 
claimant to submit additional medical evidence to establish a wage-loss 
claim, because she believed that the medical evidence already used to 
accept a covered illness should be enough to support a claim for wage-
loss benefits. This belief does not consider that there are, however, 
additional eligibility requirements for wage-loss benefits in section 
7385s-2(a)(2) of EEOICPA beyond those set out in section 7385s-4 of 
EEOICPA. Therefore, no change was made to Sec.  30.114(b) in the final 
rule as a result of this comment.

Special Procedures for Certain Radiogenic Cancer Claims

    Proposed Sec.  30.115(a) deleted a reference to an obsolete HHS 
regulation, and proposed Sec.  30.115(a)(2) deleted language stating 
that HHS may perform further development of the employee's work history 
and that it will provide DOE with a copy of the final dose 
reconstruction report for an employee, since HHS does not perform 
either of those actions. In addition, proposed Sec.  30.115(a) and (b) 
replaced references to ``HHS'' with ``NIOSH.'' A claimant 
representative commented on other aspects of proposed Sec.  30.115(a) 
that are no different from the existing Sec.  30.115(a). The same 
claimant representative and the labor organization commented on other 
aspects of proposed Sec.  30.115(a)(2) that are no different from 
existing Sec.  30.115(a)(2). Because those commenters did not refer to 
changes that were proposed in the NPRM, no changes were made to Sec.  
30.115(a)(2) in the final rule based on their comments, nor was any 
change made to Sec.  30.115(b) in the final rule.

Subpart C--Eligibility Criteria

Eligibility Criteria for Claims Relating to Covered Beryllium Illness 
Under Part B of EEOICPA

    In proposed Sec.  30.205(a)(1), the Department updated a cross-
reference to reflect the changed location of the regulatory provision 
defining the term current or former employee as defined in 5 U.S.C. 
8101(1) from Sec.  30.5(t) to Sec.  30.5(u). In proposed Sec.  
30.205(a)(3)(i), the Department updated a cross-reference to reflect 
the changed location of the regulatory provision defining the term 
Department of Energy facility from Sec.  30.5(x) to Sec.  30.5(y). A 
claimant representative noted those cross-reference changes in proposed 
Sec.  30.205. However, because the commenter did not either support or 
oppose the proposed regulation or offer ideas for changes, no change 
was made to Sec.  30.205 in the final rule based on this comment.
    Proposed Sec.  30.206(a) removed the language ``a facility owned, 
operated, or occupied by a beryllium vendor'' from existing Sec.  
30.206(a), and instead referenced the definition of a beryllium vendor 
facility in proposed Sec.  30.5(j). An advocacy group, a claimant 
representative, a health care provider and the Advisory Board suggested 
that the Department should retain the language in current Sec.  
30.206(a), and not reference proposed Sec.  30.5(j) because they 
believed that proposed Sec.  30.5(j) erroneously excluded facilities 
that were ``occupied by'' a beryllium vendor. As explained above, 
proposed Sec.  30.5(j) did not alter the eligibility of workers at 
beryllium vendor facilities; rather, it encompassed the narrower of the 
two definitions at section 7384n(a)(2) of EEOICPA, which all beryllium 
vendor employees must satisfy to establish their eligibility. 
Therefore, the suggested change was not adopted in the final rule. The 
same advocacy group and another advocacy group commented on other 
aspects of proposed Sec.  30.206(a) that were no different from 
existing Sec.  30.206(a). Because the comments submitted by the 
advocacy groups did not refer to changes that were proposed in the 
NPRM, no amendments were made to Sec.  30.206(a) in the final rule with 
respect to those comments.
    The Department proposed adding paragraph (d) to existing Sec.  
30.207 to memorialize its current practices for determining whether to 
evaluate an employee's medical evidence under either the pre- or post-
1993 criteria outlined in section 7384l(13) of EEOICPA. Proposed Sec.  
30.207(d)(1) through (3) explained that OWCP will look to the date that 
the employee was either treated for or diagnosed with a chronic 
respiratory disorder when determining whether to use either the pre- or 
post-1993 criteria. One advocacy group took issue with the portion of 
proposed Sec.  30.207(d) that refers to a diagnosis of a ``chronic 
respiratory disorder,'' in the belief that the need to establish this 
diagnosis might conflict with section 7384l(13)(B)(ii)(IV) of EEOICPA. 
However, no such conflict exists, since the requirement to establish a 
diagnosis of a chronic respiratory disorder is one of the ways that 
would permit the use of the pre-1993 diagnostic criteria (of which the 
statutory provision referenced above is one of five) for ``established 
chronic beryllium disease'' under Part B of EEOICPA, rather than, as 
the commenter posited, a criterion in and of itself. Therefore, the 
Department made no change to Sec.  30.207(d) as a result of this 
comment. A claimant representative suggested that the Department 
further define the term ``chronic'' in proposed Sec.  30.207(d), but 
she did not suggest any changes to the text of the provision. The 
Department is unaware of any current or past difficulty regarding the 
use of this term in the claims adjudication process, and is therefore 
not persuaded that the term requires any further explanation in the 
regulations. The same claimant representative suggested that the 
Department add the words ``tested for'' a chronic respiratory disorder 
in proposed Sec.  30.207(d)(1) and (2), since that change would be 
consistent with OWCP's past practice. The Department agrees with this 
comment; accordingly, text has been added to Sec.  30.207(d)(1) and (2) 
in the final rule to acknowledge that OWCP will consider whether the 
employee was ``tested positive for'' a chronic respiratory disorder 
when it decides whether the criteria in paragraph (c)(1) in Sec.  
30.207 can be used.

Eligibility Criteria for Claims Relating to Radiogenic Cancer Under 
Parts B and E of EEOICPA

    In proposed Sec. Sec.  30.210(a)(1) and 30.211, the Department 
updated a cross-reference to reflect the changed location of the 
regulatory provision defining the term specified cancer from Sec.  
30.5(ff) to Sec.  30.5(gg). A claimant representative noted those 
cross-reference changes in the above sections. However, because the 
commenter did not either support or oppose the proposed regulation or 
offer ideas for changes, no change was made to those sections in the 
final rule based on this comment.
    Proposed Sec.  30.213(a) replaced the words ``the employee's 
radiation dose reconstruction'' with ``the employee's final dose 
reconstruction report,'' and replaced a reference to ``HHS'' with 
``NIOSH.'' A claimant representative commented on other aspects of 
proposed Sec.  30.213(a) that are no different from existing Sec.  
30.213(a). Because the claimant representative's comment did not refer 
to a change that was proposed in the NPRM, no amendment was made to 
Sec.  30.213(a) in the final rule with respect to this comment.

[[Page 3031]]

Eligibility Criteria for Claims Relating to Chronic Silicosis Under 
Part B of EEOICPA

    In proposed Sec.  30.220(a), the Department updated cross-
references to reflect the changed location of the regulatory provisions 
defining the terms Department of Energy facility and chronic silicosis, 
from Sec.  30.5(x) to Sec.  30.5(y) and from Sec.  30.5(j) to Sec.  
30.5(k), respectively. A claimant representative noted those cross-
reference changes in Sec.  30.220(a). However, because the commenter 
did not either support or oppose the proposed regulation or offer ideas 
for changes, no changes were made to this section in the final rule 
based on this comment.
    In proposed Sec.  30.222(a), the Department updated a cross-
reference to reflect the changed location of the regulatory provision 
defining the term chronic silicosis from Sec.  30.5(j) to Sec.  
30.5(k). Also in proposed Sec.  30.222(a), the Department replaced the 
term ``medical doctor'' with ``licensed physician.'' A claimant 
representative noted the cross-reference change in Sec.  30.222(a). 
However, because the commenter did not either support or oppose the 
proposed regulation or offer ideas for changes, no change was made to 
those sections in the final rule based on this comment.

Eligibility Criteria for Other Claims Under Part E of EEOICPA

    In proposed Sec.  30.230(a) and (d)(1), the Department updated a 
cross-reference to reflect the changed location of the regulatory 
provision defining the term Department of Energy contractor employee 
from Sec.  30.5(w) to Sec.  30.5(x). A claimant representative noted 
the cross-reference changes in Sec.  30.230(a) and (d)(1). However, 
because the commenter did not either support or oppose the proposed 
regulation or offer ideas for changes, no change was made to those 
paragraphs in the final rule based on this comment.
    The Department proposed to amend Sec.  30.231(a) by adding the same 
language contained in proposed Sec.  30.112(b)(3) to explain its 
current practice of evaluating affidavit evidence submitted by a 
claimant as proof of employment, in conjunction with all evidence of 
employment, to determine if the claimant has met his or her burden of 
proof. Four advocacy groups, one of whom submitted two different 
comments, two claimant representatives and the labor organization 
objected to the proposed language in Sec.  30.231(a). One of those 
claimant representatives suggested that the Department replace the 
proposed language entirely with language stating that it will accept a 
claimant's affidavit as evidence of covered employment, absent strong 
evidence discrediting the affidavit. Also, one of the four advocacy 
groups questioned whether proposed Sec.  30.231(a) would make it more 
difficult for claimants to meet their burden of proof. While the 
Department does not agree with the comment submitted by the claimant 
representative noted above, it nonetheless has added text (as it did 
for Sec.  30.112(b)(3)) to clarify that if the only evidence that the 
claimant submits to establish covered employment is an affidavit, OWCP 
will evaluate that affidavit in conjunction with the other available 
evidence of employment when it is unable to verify the alleged covered 
employment through the processes described in 20 CFR 30.105(a) and 
30.106. The Department made that same minor change in the text of Sec.  
30.231(a). However, the Department notes that the advocacy group's 
concern about the burden of proof is misplaced, since there is nothing 
in the text of proposed Sec.  30.231(a) that would alter a claimant's 
burden of proof to establish covered employment; therefore, no changes 
were made in Sec.  30.231(a) in the final rule based on this other 
comment. The other three advocacy groups and the labor organization 
also asked the Department to define several terms used in the text that 
explain how OWCP will evaluate affidavit evidence in these situations, 
while the same three advocacy groups, the two claimant representatives 
and the first advocacy group discussed above all suggested that neither 
DOE nor another entity should have any role in OWCP's evaluation of 
affidavit evidence. However, as it explained above in response to 
similar comments to proposed Sec.  30.112(b)(3), the Department is not 
persuaded that it would be appropriate to make such changes. Therefore, 
no change was made in Sec.  30.231(a) as a result of those comments.
    Proposed Sec.  30.231(b) described sources, in addition to the Site 
Exposure Matrices that are currently listed in that paragraph, that the 
Department considers to be reliable sources of information to establish 
whether an employee was exposed to a toxic substance at a DOE facility 
or a RECA section 5 facility. An advocacy group disagreed in general 
terms with proposed Sec.  30.231(b). However, the Department believes 
that the proposed expansion of the list will be helpful for claimants 
during the claims adjudication process. Another advocacy group 
suggested that the Department define several terms used in the text 
that explain OWCP's evaluation of evidence of toxic exposure. However, 
any such definitions would be unnecessarily specific, and therefore not 
appropriate for regulatory text. A claimant representative suggested 
that the Department state in proposed Sec.  30.231(b) that OWCP will 
only require evidence that the toxic substance was present at a claimed 
work site and that the employee came in contact with the substance. 
However, such a change would ignore the explicit requirements of 
section 7385s-4(c)(1). The Advisory Board requested that the Department 
include in proposed Sec.  30.231(b) additional potential sources of 
probative evidence of toxic exposure. Such a change is unnecessary 
because proposed Sec.  30.231(b)(3) already made clear that OWCP would 
consider evidence from any entity deemed by OWCP to be a reliable 
source of information for the purposes of proving toxic exposure 
information. For the above reasons, the Department did not make any of 
the suggested changes discussed by these commenters to Sec.  30.231(b) 
in the final rule.
    Proposed Sec.  30.232(a) deleted the former Part D requirements for 
establishing a covered illness, as Congress abolished Part D and those 
requirements are now irrelevant. In its place, the Department proposed 
adding language to describe its current requirements for establishing a 
covered illness under Part E. A claimant representative questioned why 
the Department did not retain the requirements stated in Sec.  
30.232(a)(2) through (4) of the current regulations. As the Department 
explained in the preamble to the proposed rule, proposed Sec.  
30.232(a) deleted references in that paragraph that referred to the 
irrelevant requirements in former Part D. The labor organization 
disagreed with the Department's removal of the reference to DOE's 
Former Worker Program in current Sec.  30.232(a)(3). However, deleting 
that reference does not mean that evidence from DOE's Former Worker 
Program may not be used to establish that a claimant whose employment 
has been established has been diagnosed with a covered illness under 
Part E. Thus, the Department did not make any changes to Sec.  
30.232(a) based on these comments in the final rule.
    Proposed Sec.  30.232(a)(1) required the claimant to submit 
``[w]ritten medical evidence containing a physician's diagnosis of the 
employee's covered illness (as that term is defined in Sec.  30.5(s)), 
and the physician's reasoning for his or her opinion regarding 
causation'' to establish that an employee

[[Page 3032]]

has been diagnosed with a covered illness. An advocacy group, two 
claimant representatives and the Advisory Board disagreed with this 
general requirement in proposed Sec.  30.232(a)(1). One of those 
claimant representatives suggested that the Department state instead 
that any credible sources may be provided to prove causation of a 
covered illness. The other claimant representative suggested that this 
provision include the words ``aggravating and contributing to.'' The 
advocacy group believed that proposed Sec.  30.232(a)(1) increased the 
burden necessary to establish a sick worker's illness by requiring the 
physician to opine on causation. The Advisory Board had a similar 
concern, but suggested replacing the proposed text with text that would 
be essentially identical. However, the Department notes that proposed 
Sec.  30.232(a)(1) merely recognized a claimant's burden, as 
authoritatively stated by the U.S. Supreme Court, to provide evidence 
to meet the causation standard in section 7385s-4(c) of EEOICPA, and 
the requirement that the physician diagnosing a condition opine on 
causation. For those reasons, the Department is not persuaded that any 
change to Sec.  30.232(a)(1) is needed in the final rule based on these 
comments. The Department also updated a cross-reference in proposed 
Sec.  30.232(a)(1) to reflect the changed location of the regulatory 
provision defining the term covered illness from Sec.  30.5(r) to Sec.  
30.5(s). A claimant representative noted that change. Because the 
commenter did not either support or oppose the proposed regulation, or 
offer ideas for changes, no change was made to that section in the 
final rule based on this comment.
    In addition to the requirement in proposed Sec.  30.232(a)(1), 
proposed Sec.  30.232(a)(2) stated that a claimant must submit ``[a]ny 
other evidence OWCP may deem necessary to show that the employee has or 
had an illness that resulted from an exposure to a toxic substance 
while working at either a DOE facility or a RECA section 5 facility.'' 
One advocacy group and the Advisory Board asserted that proposed Sec.  
30.232(a)(2) unreasonably required a claimant to provide evidence 
beyond a diagnosis of a covered illness. Another advocacy group asked 
for clarification and further explanation of certain terms used in the 
text in proposed Sec.  30.232(a)(2). The Department appreciates these 
comments and understands the underlying concerns. However, because 
proposed Sec.  30.232(a)(2) is materially identical to current Sec.  
30.232(a)(4) and accurately reflects the claimant's burden of proof to 
submit medical evidence of causation, which the Department believes is 
consistent with the statute, the suggested changes to this provision 
have not been adopted in the final rule.
    In proposed Sec.  30.232(b), the Department updated a cross-
reference to reflect the changed location of the regulatory provision 
defining the term covered illness from Sec.  30.5(r) to Sec.  30.5(s). 
Two advocacy groups and an individual commented on other aspects of 
proposed Sec.  30.232(b) that are no different from the existing Sec.  
30.232(b). Because those commenters did not refer to changes that were 
proposed in the NPRM, no amendments to Sec.  30.232(b) were made in the 
final rule with respect to their comments.

Subpart D--Adjudicatory Process

General Provisions

    In Sec.  30.300, the Department proposed adding language to explain 
that a claimant may seek judicial review of a final decision issued by 
FAB by filing an action in Federal district court, since the current 
regulations do not provide this explanation. A claimant representative 
agreed with the Department's change. An individual, however, suggested 
that the Department add regulatory language establishing ``a process 
for next-higher appeal within the DOL'' in proposed Sec.  30.300. This 
same suggestion was made by several commenters on this section as it 
appeared in the first interim final rule governing OWCP's 
administration of EEOICPA that was published on May 25, 2001 (66 FR 
28948). As it did when it subsequently published the first final rule 
on December 26, 2002 (67 FR 78874), the Department continues to believe 
that utilizing administrative law judges or another type of independent 
review body would unnecessarily complicate and delay the claims 
adjudication process to the detriment of claimants. The commenter did 
not present any new reasons not previously considered by the Department 
when it originally decided to retain the adjudicatory structure 
described in Sec.  30.300, or any evidence of problems with it since 
its inception in 2001. Therefore, no change was made to Sec.  30.300 in 
the final rule based on that comment.
    In proposed Sec.  30.301(b)(1), the Department proposed amending 
language that currently only recognizes postmark dates as evidence of a 
timely request for the issuance of an administrative subpoena to also 
recognize the date-markings of other carriers, since other delivery 
options besides the U.S. Mail are widely used. A claimant 
representative stated that ``the proposed and the current is the 
same.'' However, since the commenter did not either support or oppose 
the proposed regulation or offer ideas for changes, no change was made 
to that paragraph in the final rule based on this comment. An advocacy 
group requested that proposed Sec.  30.301(b)(1) be amended to allow 
for the submission of subpoena requests through the Energy Document 
Portal. This suggestion does not pertain to the changes in proposed 
Sec.  30.301(b)(1). Because the advocacy group's comment did not refer 
to a change that was proposed in the NPRM, no amendment was made in the 
final rule based on this comment.

Recommended Decisions on Claims

    Proposed Sec.  30.305(a) replaced references to ``HHS'' with 
``NIOSH.'' A claimant representative agreed with that proposed change. 
Therefore, no change was made to Sec.  30.305(a) in the final rule 
based on that comment. In addition, the Department proposed modifying 
the language in Sec.  30.306 to make recommended decisions more 
understandable by mandating that they include a narrative discussion of 
the district office's findings of fact and conclusions of law. A 
claimant representative asked the Department to explain how OWCP will 
``enforce the district offices to only list the facts and law in the 
recommended decisions.'' Since proposed Sec.  30.306 merely codified 
OWCP's current practice of including a narrative discussion in the 
recommended decision of the district office's findings of fact and 
conclusions of law, the comment addressed a matter of enforcement 
rather than the substance of the proposed change. Thus, no change was 
made to Sec.  30.306 in the final rule.
    In the NPRM, the Department proposed moving the provisions in 
current Sec.  30.307 to Sec.  30.308. Newly proposed Sec.  30.307(a) 
informed readers that in most situations, OWCP will issue a single 
recommended decision to all survivors who filed claims under Part B 
and/or Part E of EEOICPA relating to the same deceased employee, while 
newly proposed Sec.  30.307(b) recognized an exception to that policy 
when another individual subsequently files a claim seeking the same 
award referenced in Sec.  30.307(a). A claimant representative 
commented that the proposed language was confusing and would deny a 
subsequent survivor the opportunity to file a claim. However, proposed 
Sec.  30.307(b) did not state that OWCP will deny a subsequently 
claiming survivor

[[Page 3033]]

the opportunity to file such a claim, but instead explained that in 
circumstances where a district office recommends that a subsequently 
filed claim be denied, the same recommended decision will not address 
the entitlement of the earlier claimants. Therefore, no change was made 
to this section in the final rule.

Hearings and Final Decisions on Claims

    In the NPRM, proposed Sec.  30.310(a) replaced references to 
``HHS'' with ``NIOSH.'' In addition, the Department proposed amending 
the language in Sec.  30.310(b) that only recognizes postmark dates as 
evidence of the time a written objection is filed to also recognize the 
date-markings of other carriers, since other delivery options besides 
the U.S. Mail are widely used. The Department also changed the wording 
in proposed Sec.  30.310(b) to reflect recent changes in how the 
program receives and processes mail. A claimant representative had ``no 
objections'' to the proposed changes in Sec.  30.310. An advocacy group 
suggested that proposed Sec.  30.310(b) be amended to allow claimants 
to submit hearing requests through the Energy Document Portal. As 
stated above in response to this same request in relation to proposed 
Sec.  30.301(b)(1), this suggestion does not address the proposed 
change in that provision. Because the advocacy group's comment did not 
refer to a change that was proposed in the NPRM, no amendment was made 
to this paragraph in the final rule based on that comment.
    Proposed Sec.  30.313(c) in the NPRM replaced references to ``HHS'' 
with ``NIOSH.'' A claimant representative and an individual commented 
on other aspects of proposed Sec.  30.313(c) that were no different 
from the existing Sec.  30.313(c). Because those comments did not refer 
to changes that were proposed in the NPRM, no changes to Sec.  
30.313(c) were made in the final rule with respect to those comments.
    The Department also proposed amending Sec.  30.314(a), which 
currently provides a FAB reviewer with the discretion to conduct 
hearings by telephone or teleconference, to also allow the FAB reviewer 
to conduct hearings by videoconference or other electronic means. A 
claimant representative stated that there was ``no change'' from the 
current regulations. Because the commenter did not either support or 
oppose the proposed regulation or offer ideas for changes, no change 
was made to that paragraph in the final rule based on this comment. 
Proposed Sec.  30.314(b) included new language to provide the FAB 
reviewer with the discretion to mail a hearing notice less than 30 days 
prior to the hearing if the claimant and/or representative waives the 
30-day notice period in writing. A claimant representative agreed with 
the change in proposed Sec.  30.314(b). An advocacy group suggested 
that OWCP allow claimants more time to prepare for a hearing if needed, 
and more time to present evidence at hearings. However, the advocacy 
group's comments did not pertain to any of the changes made in proposed 
Sec.  30.314(b). Because the advocacy group's comment did not refer to 
a change that was proposed in the NPRM, no amendment was made in the 
final rule based on this comment.
    Proposed Sec.  30.315(a) added a provision prohibiting a claimant 
or representative from making more than one request to reschedule a 
hearing, since repeated requests to cancel and reschedule hearings can 
have a negative impact on the claim adjudication process for other 
claimants. A claimant representative agreed with the change. The labor 
organization asked whether and how OWCP will notify claimants of this 
provision prior to their hearing date. The Department does not believe 
that the issue of notification suggested by the latter comment is 
appropriate for a regulation, since it involves a purely internal 
procedure. Thus, no change was made to Sec.  30.315(a) in the final 
rule.
    As the Department explained above in the ``Background of This 
Rulemaking,'' it proposed to modify Sec.  30.318(a) to describe the 
potential for NIOSH to provide consultation in FAB's consideration of 
objections to final dose reconstruction reports. This consultation 
process will provide for a more complete consideration of the 
claimant's objections. The Department also proposed to clarify OWCP's 
obligation to consider objections to how it calculates the probability 
of causation in new Sec.  30.318(b). One claimant representative 
commented that the changes in proposed Sec.  30.318 were unnecessary. 
However, the Department believes that the changes to that section will 
alleviate the frustration experienced by claimants and FAB reviewers in 
determining whether an objection to NIOSH's final dose reconstruction 
report concerned ``methodology'' or ``application.'' The Department 
further believes that NIOSH's increased involvement in FAB's 
consideration of objections to NIOSH's final dose reconstruction 
reports will make this process more efficient and transparent. For 
those reasons, no changes were made to Sec.  30.318 in the final rule 
based on this comment. Another claimant representative suggested that 
NIOSH should indicate in its final dose reconstruction report the 
calculated recommended probability of causation. While the Department 
agrees that this suggestion has merit, it is nonetheless contrary to 
how the President assigned responsibility for this task in E.O. 13179, 
and the suggested change was not made to Sec.  30.318(b) in the final 
rule.
    In the NPRM, the Department proposed to add language in Sec.  
30.319(b), which currently only recognizes postmark dates as evidence 
of the time a request for reconsideration is filed, to also recognize 
the date-markings of other carriers, since other delivery options 
besides the U.S. Mail are widely used. The Department also changed the 
wording in proposed Sec.  30.319(b) to reflect recent changes in how 
the program receives and processes mail. A claimant representative 
commented that the changes in proposed Sec.  30.319(b) were 
unnecessary. However, as stated above, other carrier's date markings 
besides postmarks exist and therefore the Department believes that it 
is necessary to recognize them for timeliness purposes. Also, since the 
program now receives and processes mail through a central mail room, 
the reference in current Sec.  30.319(b) that FAB receives mail is no 
longer accurate. Thus, no changes were made to Sec.  30.319(b) in the 
final rule based on this comment.

Reopening Claims

    Proposed Sec.  30.320(b) allowed claimants to request a reopening 
based on new medical evidence diagnosing a medical condition. Two 
advocacy groups and a health care provider suggested that the new 
language proposed in Sec.  30.320(b) be amended to state that the 
Director for Energy Employees Occupational Illness Compensation will 
reopen any claim in instances when it failed to take into account all 
relevant evidence in reaching their determination on eligibility. 
Another advocacy group asserted that the Department's change in 
proposed Sec.  30.320(b) was unnecessary because the Director has the 
discretion to reopen a claim at any time. Both of those comments go 
beyond the proposed change in Sec.  30.320(b). Because those commenters 
referred to something that was not changed in the NPRM, no amendment to 
Sec.  30.320(b) was made in the final rule with respect to their 
comments. A claimant representative commented that she was unsure 
whether OWCP will grant a reopening request based on new medical 
evidence. Proposed Sec.  30.320(b) answered this question in the 
affirmative by explicitly stating that the Director will reopen a

[[Page 3034]]

claim in instances when, in her discretion, she determines that a 
claimant has submitted new medical evidence that diagnoses a medical 
condition and is material to the claim. Under these circumstances, no 
amendment was made to Sec.  30.320(b) in the final rule as a result of 
those comments.

Subpart E--Medical and Related Benefits

Medical Treatment and Related Issues

    In the NPRM, the Department proposed to move language in current 
Sec.  30.400(a) regarding the payment to reimburse out-of-pocket costs 
of obtaining covered medical treatment to survivors to a new paragraph. 
It also proposed to add a new statement to that paragraph clarifying 
that if there is any doubt about whether a contemplated service, 
appliance or supply is or will be necessary to treat an accepted 
illness, the employee should consult OWCP's bill processing agent prior 
to obtaining it. An advocacy group suggested that the new language in 
proposed Sec.  30.400(a) be amended to state that employees may contact 
OWCP directly to ascertain whether a contemplated medical treatment is 
considered to be necessary. However, such questions are more 
efficiently answered by contacting OWCP's bill processing agent, as is 
the current practice. Therefore, no change was made to Sec.  30.400(a) 
in the final rule as a result of this comment. Also, a claimant 
representative and the labor organization commented on aspects of 
proposed Sec.  30.400(a) that did not relate to the proposed changes in 
that paragraph. Because those comments did not refer to a change that 
was proposed in the NPRM, no amendment was made to Sec.  30.400(a) in 
the final rule with respect to them.
    The Department also proposed to make a number of changes to Sec.  
30.400(c). First, the Department proposed adding new language in that 
paragraph to explain the current qualifications that must be met before 
hospitals and providers of medical services or supplies may furnish 
appropriate services, drugs, supplies and appliances to covered 
employees. A claimant representative agreed with the Department's 
change in that paragraph. Two health care providers believed that the 
proposed language in Sec.  30.400(c) indicating that specified 
providers must possess ``all applicable licenses required under State 
law'' would obligate OWCP to monitor providers' licensure. One of those 
same two health care providers proposed amending that provision to 
specify that a provider must possess all applicable licenses required 
under state law ``as determined by the applicable State regulatory 
body.'' However, the only occasions when OWCP is concerned with a 
provider's possession of state-required licenses is either at the time 
of enrollment or exclusion. The Department believes that no further 
specificity is required in this provision since the proposed language 
explicitly states that state law governs licensure requirements. 
Therefore, the above suggestions have not been adopted in the final 
rule.
    In addition, the NPRM proposed adding language in Sec.  30.400(c) 
authorizing OWCP to offset the cost of prior rental payments against 
the future purchase of an appliance or supply. A claimant 
representative objected to this provision, and suggested that OWCP had 
other means available to it to control its costs in this area. However, 
this practice has been in effect since EEOICPA Bulletin No. 13-03 was 
issued in 2013, and has not proved problematic. Accordingly, no changes 
were made in the final rule as a result of this comment. The Department 
also proposed adding authority in Sec.  30.400(c) for it to provide 
refurbished equipment where appropriate. The same claimant 
representative and a health care provider objected to this provision, 
and commented that it should be removed because such appliances may not 
work properly. However, these comments presumed that refurbished 
appliances would be unreliable without providing any data in support of 
that position. Therefore, no changes were made in the final rule in 
response to these comments. Lastly, in proposed Sec.  30.400(c), the 
NPRM proposed codifying OWCP's inherent authority to contract with 
specific providers to provide non-physician services and appliances to 
beneficiaries. Three health care providers, two advocacy groups and a 
claimant representative objected to this provision. All of these 
commenters, except one of the two advocacy groups, questioned the 
Department's statutory authority for this proposed change, while the 
remaining advocacy group believed that the proposal was too vague. 
However, section 7384t(b)(2) of EEOICPA states that a physician 
initially selected by a beneficiary must ``provide medical services, 
appliances, and supplies under this section in accordance with such 
regulations and instructions as the President considers necessary.'' 
Since OWCP has been delegated the President's authority under section 
7384t(b)(2), it clearly has the authority to regulate in this manner. 
Accordingly, no changes were made to Sec.  30.400(c) in the final rule 
as a result of any of these comments.
    As stated above, the Department proposed to move language in 
current Sec.  30.400(a) regarding payments to reimburse out-of-pocket 
costs of obtaining covered medical treatment to survivors to a new 
paragraph, proposed Sec.  30.400(d), in order to bring attention to 
that longstanding policy. A claimant representative agreed with the 
Department's new proposed Sec.  30.400(d). Accordingly, no changes were 
made to this paragraph in the final rule.
    In the NPRM, the Department proposed reorganizing existing Sec.  
30.403 into three separate paragraphs to better focus the section on 
OWCP's current methods for pre-authorization of and payment for claims 
under section 7384t of EEOICPA for home health care, nursing home, and 
assisted living services, which comprise the vast bulk of services of 
this type being provided. Proposed Sec.  30.403(a) incorporated the 
descriptive text in current Sec.  30.403 with minor modifications, and 
proposed Sec.  30.403(b) described OWCP's general requirements for 
payment of a claim for nursing home and assisted living services. A 
claimant representative generally agreed with the Department's changes 
in proposed Sec.  30.403(a) and (b), but that same claimant 
representative and a health care provider objected to the new language 
in those paragraphs stating that authorization and payment for home 
health care services are ``subject to the pre-authorization 
requirements described'' in proposed Sec.  30.403(c). For the reasons 
described below in response to comments in proposed Sec.  30.403(c), 
the Department is not persuaded that it is necessary to remove that 
language in Sec.  30.403(a) and (b) in the final rule.
    Proposed Sec.  30.403(c) set out the particular pre-authorization 
process used to file an initial claim for home health care, nursing 
home, and assisted living services. The Department received 39 comments 
on this proposed paragraph (24 comments were from physicians, eight 
comments were from individuals, four comments were from three health 
care providers, two comments were from an advocacy group and one 
comment was from a claimant representative). While one of the 
individuals and the claimant representative agreed with the 
Department's changes in proposed Sec.  30.403(c), the remainder of the 
commenters requested that the Department retain the language in current 
Sec.  30.403 because they believe that the new procedures would be too 
burdensome for claimants and

[[Page 3035]]

providers, and would cause unnecessary delays in the medical treatment 
of EEOICPA beneficiaries. However, the processes set forth in proposed 
Sec.  30.403(c) were merely a compilation of the current processes for 
pre-authorization, and will improve communications between the program 
and the beneficiary, and between the program and the treating 
physician. Currently, OWCP does not require beneficiaries to identify 
the name of their treating physician at the time that home health care 
is requested, and believes that obtaining this information up front 
will greatly enhance efficiency because it will be able to communicate 
with the physician directly, if needed. Furthermore, OWCP currently 
requires that the beneficiary's physician submit a letter of medical 
necessity and verify that a timely face-to-face physical examination of 
the beneficiary took place, and proposed Sec.  30.403(c) merely 
recognizes this current process. Thus, no changes were made to Sec.  
30.403(c) based on these comments.
    In the NPRM, proposed Sec.  30.405(b) and (c) clarified OWCP's 
policy for approving or denying an employee's request to change 
treating physicians. The language in current Sec.  30.405(b) and (c) 
states that OWCP may approve or deny a certain type of request to 
change physicians based on the ``sufficiency'' of the request, while 
the proposed language in those paragraphs stated that OWCP will approve 
or deny such a request based on the credibility of the request, and 
whether it is supported by minimally persuasive evidence. The 
Department received 102 comments that objected to the proposed changes 
in Sec.  30.405 (from 90 individuals, three advocacy groups, three 
claimant representatives, two health care providers, two unknown 
persons or organizations, one labor organization and the Advisory 
Board). Out of these, 54 comments interpreted proposed Sec.  30.405(b) 
and (c) to mean that a beneficiary's right to change physicians was 
being eliminated, 26 other comments interpreted those paragraphs to 
mean that a beneficiary's right to initially choose a physician was 
being eliminated, another 14 comments believed that those paragraphs 
eliminated both of those rights, and the final group of eight comments 
opposed the proposed language without further explanation.
    The Department notes that section 7384t(b)(2) of EEOICPA allows a 
beneficiary the opportunity to initially choose a physician to provide 
medical services, appliances and supplies, and that statutory provision 
is reflected in the text of existing Sec.  30.405(a). Nothing in 
proposed Sec.  30.405(b) and (c) changed existing Sec.  30.405(a), 
which also recognizes that treating physicians may, and often do, refer 
their patients to specialists for further medical care. Proposed Sec.  
30.405(b) and (c) merely clarified the standards that OWCP may use 
under its existing authority to approve or deny certain requests to 
change a treating physician. Although most of the 102 comments 
submitted a general objection to the changes in proposed Sec.  
30.405(b) and (c), the following commenters submitted comments with 
specific suggestions on those proposed provisions. One of the three 
advocacy groups, one of the three claimant representatives and both of 
the health care providers suggested that the Department further define 
the terms and circumstances under which it would deny a beneficiary's 
request to change a treating physician. However, the Department 
believes that these are properly matters of administrative discretion 
and would be too confusing to define and of little utility to 
beneficiaries. A different claimant representative suggested that the 
proposed language in these paragraphs be replaced with language stating 
that a beneficiary may select and utilize any physician, at any time, 
so long as that physician is an approved provider under the program. 
Consistent with the above explanation, such a proposal goes well beyond 
the right of initial choice found in section 7384t(b)(2) of EEOICPA, 
and was not proposed in the NPRM. The Advisory Board suggested that the 
Department eliminate the changes in proposed Sec.  30.405(b) and (c), 
and instead state in those paragraphs that ``The claimant may cite 
personal preference as a valid reason to change physicians.'' However, 
this suggestion goes beyond the change proposed, which clarified that 
OWCP will approve or deny a request to change physicians based on the 
credibility of the request and whether it is supported by minimally 
persuasive evidence, instead of the ``sufficiency'' of the request, as 
is stated in the existing regulation. In light of the above discussion, 
no changes were made to this section in the final rule as a result of 
these 102 comments.

Directed Medical Examinations

    The Department proposed to amend Sec. Sec.  30.410(c) and 30.411(d) 
to memorialize OWCP's existing authority to administratively close an 
employee's claim when he or she refuses to attend a second opinion 
examination or a referee medical examination, respectively. A claimant 
representative agreed with the changes in proposed Sec. Sec.  30.410(c) 
and 30.411(d). Another claimant representative suggested that the 
Department amend proposed Sec. Sec.  30.410(c) and 30.411(d) to state 
that a claimant may utilize the adjudicatory process described in 
subpart D of the regulations if their claim is administratively closed, 
and include provisions allowing the claimant to cancel and request 
rescheduling of those examinations upon a showing of good cause. Two 
health care providers questioned the propriety of proposed Sec. Sec.  
30.410(c) and 30.411(d) and suggested amending these provisions to 
state that OWCP will pay for reasonable travel accommodations, will 
hold examinations in facilities which accommodate the medical needs of 
beneficiaries, allow for adjudication under subpart D and include in 
the provisions language that OWCP will give 30 days notice of an 
examination and limit the employee's travel to a 100-mile radius, prior 
to assessing if the employee ``refused'' an examination. OWCP notes 
that its procedures and other regulations not part of this rulemaking 
already provide that OWCP will pay for the cost of these examinations, 
including travel and accommodations, allow their cancellation for good 
cause, and direct that these examinations be held in facilities that 
accommodate the individual's medical needs and are within a reasonable 
distance from the individual's residence (almost always within a 100-
mile radius). It is not always possible to schedule examinations at 
locations within that radius, such as cases involving individuals who 
reside in remote areas, but the examination must still be within a 
reasonable distance and these same protections apply. Nevertheless, in 
situations when a directed medical examination is necessary, OWCP is 
unable to make a determination on a claimant's eligibility for benefits 
until completion of such examination. Accordingly, administratively 
closing the claim until that essential development step takes place is 
a reasonable action that can be resolved by employee cooperation. The 
Department further notes that the decision whether or not to 
administratively close a claim properly involves a question of 
administrative discretion, and that as such, the Department has decided 
not to identify specific factors for such circumstances in the 
regulations. For those reasons, the suggested changes were not made to 
Sec. Sec.  30.410(c) and 30.411(d) in the final rule. Finally, an 
advocacy group asked the Department to clarify what it means by 
``pending matters'' in proposed

[[Page 3036]]

Sec. Sec.  30.410(c) and 30.411(d). The Department believes that the 
term must be broad enough to retain maximum administrative discretion 
because the matters that OWCP may need to suspend under these sections 
will likely be unique to the case at hand. Thus, the Department has not 
made this last suggested change to Sec. Sec.  30.410(c) and 30.411(d) 
in the final rule.

Medical Reports

    In the NPRM, proposed Sec.  30.416(a) removed language that a 
physician's stamp will be accepted in lieu of his or her signature on a 
medical report, and specified that the physician's handwritten or 
electronic signature should be on his or her medical report. Two 
claimant representatives suggested that it was unreasonable for OWCP to 
require a physician's handwritten or electronic signature on a medical 
report. However, this change was made to align with the requirements of 
other programs administered by OWCP, as well as the requirements of the 
Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) within HHS. Thus, no 
change was made to Sec.  30.416(a) in this final rule based on those 
comments. A third claimant representative mistakenly asserted that 
proposed Sec.  30.416(a) was identical to existing Sec.  30.416(a), and 
therefore questioned why it appeared in the NPRM. However, because the 
claimant representative's comment did not pertain to something that was 
changed in the NPRM, no amendment was made in the final rule with 
respect to this comment.

Subpart F--Survivors; Payments and Offsets; Overpayments

Survivors

    In the NPRM, the Department proposed amending the first sentence in 
Sec.  30.500(a)(2) to memorialize OWCP's policy determination that a 
``child'' under Parts B and E of EEOICPA means only a biological child, 
a stepchild or an adopted child of a deceased covered Part B or Part E 
employee. Also, the Department proposed to move the statutory 
definition of a ``covered child'' found in the second sentence of 
existing Sec.  30.500(a)(2) to its own new paragraph. A claimant 
representative asserted that the changes in proposed Sec.  30.500(a)(2) 
were unnecessary. However, since the Department believes that these 
changes are substantive in nature and add clarity, no change was made 
to Sec.  30.500(a)(2) in the final rule as a result of this comment.
    As noted above, the Department proposed in the NPRM to move the 
statutory definition of a ``covered child'' in current Sec.  
30.500(a)(2) to a new paragraph, proposed Sec.  30.500(c)(1), in order 
to increase the understandability of this important definition. The 
Department also proposed adding a sentence in proposed Sec.  
30.500(c)(1) to explain that a child's marital status or dependency on 
the covered employee for support is irrelevant to his or her 
eligibility for benefits as a ``covered child'' under Part E. A 
claimant representative agreed with the changes in proposed Sec.  
30.500(c)(1). Therefore, no change was made to Sec.  30.500(c)(1) in 
the final rule. In addition, proposed Sec.  30.500(c)(2) further 
defined the statutory term incapable of self-support to mean that the 
child must have been physically and/or mentally incapable of self-
support at the time of the covered employee's death. An individual 
objected to the Department's proposed definition as too vague. The 
Department does not agree that the proposed definition at issue is 
vague, however, and believes that the text added to this definition in 
proposed Sec.  30.500(c)(2) highlights that determinations made on this 
point will focus on objective factual and/or medical evidence, while 
still permitting OWCP to retain the maximum amount of discretion needed 
for it to adjudicate these sorts of claims on their individual facts. 
Furthermore, the Department notes that this approach has met with 
judicial approval. See Watson v. Solis, 693 F.3d 620 (6th Cir. 2012). 
Accordingly, no change was made to Sec.  30.500(c)(2) in the final 
rule.
    In proposed Sec.  30.501(a) and (b), the Department updated a 
cross-reference to reflect the changed location of the regulatory 
provision defining the term survivor from Sec.  30.5(gg) to Sec.  
30.5(hh). In proposed Sec.  30.502, the Department updated a cross-
reference to reflect the changed location of the statutory definition 
of a ``covered child'' from Sec.  30.500(a)(2) to Sec.  30.500(c)(1). A 
claimant representative noted both of these updated cross-references. 
However, because the commenter did not either support or oppose the 
proposed regulations or offer ideas for changes, no change was made to 
either section in the final rule based on her comments.

Payment of Claims and Offset for Certain Payments

    In the NPRM, the Department proposed amending current Sec.  
30.509(c), which references the American Medical Association's Guides 
to the Evaluation of Permanent Impairment (AMA's Guides) to 
specifically reference the 5th Edition of the AMA's Guides. Both a 
claimant representative and the Advisory Board questioned the wisdom of 
amending current Sec.  30.509(c) to specifically reference the 5th 
Edition, since this would reduce the ability to change this in the 
future absent another rulemaking. The Department agrees with these 
commenters and acknowledges that OWCP may wish to move to another 
edition in the future. Accordingly, this change in proposed Sec.  
30.509(c) was not made in this final rule. An individual commented on 
other aspects of proposed Sec.  30.509(c) that are no different from 
the existing Sec.  30.509(c). Because the individual's comment did not 
refer to a change that was proposed in the NPRM, no amendment was made 
to Sec.  30.509(c) in the final rule with respect to this comment.

Subpart G--Special Provisions

Representation

    In the NPRM, the Department proposed amending Sec.  30.600 to state 
that a representative does not have the authority to sign either Form 
EE-1 or Form EE-2, to be consistent with proposed Sec. Sec.  30.100 and 
30.101. Four claimant representatives and one advocacy group suggested 
that it was unreasonable for the Department to eliminate a 
representative's authority to sign these initial claim forms in 
proposed Sec.  30.600(c)(2), citing reasons such as convenience and 
contractual arrangements. One of those same claimant representatives 
asserted instead that a properly appointed authorized representative 
ought to have the authority to sign all documents relating to a claim. 
The Department discussed above, in its response to comments it received 
on proposed Sec. Sec.  30.100 and 30.101, the reasons why it believes 
that a claimant's signature is needed on his or her claim form. Because 
those same reasons apply here, the Department did not make any change 
to proposed Sec.  30.600(c)(2) as a result of these comments. The same 
one of these four claimant representatives and the same advocacy group 
noted that there was no provision in proposed Sec.  30.600(c)(2) 
allowing an attorney-in-fact to sign a claim form on a claimant's 
behalf. As discussed above in relation to proposed Sec. Sec.  30.100 
and 30.101, OWCP has and will continue to accept claim forms signed by 
a valid attorney-in-fact. Any individual other than a claimant may sign 
the claim form if they have the legal authority to do so, and have not 
otherwise been excluded under proposed Sec.  30.600(c)(2) of the 
regulations. Therefore, no change was made to this section as a result 
of this second group of comments.

[[Page 3037]]

    Proposed Sec.  30.601 added language to provide that a 
representative must comply with OWCP's conflict of interest policy. 
Three advocacy groups, two health care providers and a claimant 
representative disagreed with this requirement in proposed Sec.  
30.601. One of those advocacy groups asserted that such policy removes 
a class of potential authorized representatives without proof of any 
wrongdoing, restricts home health care workers from being appointed as 
authorized representatives in situations when home health care benefits 
would not be available (such as for survivors), and that the Department 
should address its fraud concerns in other ways. That same advocacy 
group and the second advocacy group believed that some elderly sick 
workers only have their nurses to represent them, and any limitation on 
who they may select to represent them would be unreasonable or would 
negatively affect their health. The third advocacy group stated that 
the Department's proposal to limit a claimant's ability to designate a 
representative creates an unnecessary burden on claimants since it is 
already difficult for claimants to find representatives willing to 
provide assistance, and that OWCP did not provide any rationale for the 
change. Both of the health care providers disagreed with the conflict 
of interest policy because the prohibition against representatives 
having outside financial interests unreasonably bars health care 
providers (who have experience navigating complex Federal benefit 
programs) from advocating for a claimant, and suggested addressing this 
in the regulations or removing it. Two of the advocacy groups and one 
of the health care providers believed that other health benefit 
programs are not as restrictive. Finally, the claimant representative 
did not offer any reasons for her disagreement with this proposed 
change, nor did she suggest any changes. The two health care providers, 
the claimant representative and one of the advocacy groups asked the 
Department to specifically state in the regulations the standards it 
has adopted. The Department is not persuaded by any of the reasons 
given by these commenters to abandon the proposed application of the 
conflict-of-interest policy in this context, because the aim of the 
policy is to keep providers from straying outside of their proper roles 
as providers of medical treatment. Also, the Department believes that 
its policy will help it safeguard our vulnerable, often aged, claimant 
population by lessening the chance that an outside financial interest 
of an authorized representative could interfere with, or be contrary 
to, the best interests of the claimant. The Department agrees, however, 
with the commenters' suggestion that a basic statement of such policy 
should be incorporated in this provision. The Department has therefore 
added a basic statement of OWCP's conflict of interest policy to Sec.  
30.601 in the final rule.
    Proposed Sec.  30.603(a) clarified that a representative may charge 
a claimant for costs and expenses related to a claim in addition to a 
fee for his or her services within the limitations specified in Sec.  
30.603(b). A claimant representative agreed with this change in 
proposed Sec.  30.603(a). Under these circumstances, no change was made 
to that provision in the final rule.

Effect of Tort Suits Against Beryllium Vendors and Atomic Weapons 
Employers

    In the NPRM, proposed Sec. Sec.  30.617(b)(2) and 30.618(c)(2) 
replaced references to ``HHS'' with ``NIOSH.'' A claimant 
representative asserted that the changes to these two sections were 
unnecessary. The Department, however, has replaced the term ``HHS'' 
with ``NIOSH'' throughout the NPRM to correctly reflect HHS's 
delegation of its exclusive control of the portion of the claims 
process for radiogenic cancer to NIOSH in 42 CFR 82.1. Accordingly, no 
changes were made in the final rule with respect to this comment.

Subpart H--Information for Medical Providers

Medical Records and Bills

    In the NPRM, the Department proposed amending Sec.  30.700 to 
describe, for the first time, OWCP's process for enrolling providers 
with its bill processing agent, as well as the agent's automated bill 
processing and authorization systems. Proposed Sec.  30.700(a) required 
that a provider seeking to enroll certify that it has satisfied all 
applicable Federal and state licensure and regulatory requirements, 
that it will maintain documentation showing that it satisfies those 
requirements, and that it will notify OWCP immediately if any such 
information changes. A claimant representative questioned whether the 
Department's changes in proposed Sec.  30.700(a) were necessary and 
argued that they placed undue hardship on providers. The Department 
does not agree that the changes in proposed Sec.  30.700(a) cause any 
hardship, given that providers have been adhering to the described 
requirements since the inception of the program in 2001. While these 
requirements have been in existence since that time, the Department 
continues to prefer describing its current provider processes in a 
regulatory format. A health care provider suggested amending proposed 
Sec.  30.700(a) to specify that Federal and state license requirements 
are to be determined by the applicable Federal or state regulatory 
body. However, the fact that the requirements are determined by the 
applicable Federal or state regulatory body is irrelevant to this 
provision. As explained in the Department's discussion of a similar 
comment received in connection with proposed Sec.  30.400(c), the only 
occasions when OWCP is concerned with a provider's possession of 
required licenses is either at the time of enrollment or exclusion. The 
Department believes that no further specificity is required in this 
provision since the proposed language explicitly states that Federal 
and state law governs any pertinent licensure requirements. Therefore, 
no changes to Sec.  30.700(a) were made in the final rule based on 
these comments.
    Proposed Sec.  30.700(b) recognized OWCP's current practice of 
requiring providers to seek pre-authorization for certain services. A 
health care provider felt that proposed Sec.  30.700(b) should be 
removed because it conflicted with unspecified provisions in EEOICPA, 
would result in delayed care, and presented the likelihood that health 
care providers seeking pre-authorization might violate unspecified 
state laws. The Department is not persuaded by this vague and 
unspecific comment, which appears to be based on pure speculation. A 
second health care provider, an advocacy group and a claimant 
representative suggested that the Department provide more detail in 
proposed Sec.  30.700(b) to describe the pre-authorization process, and 
list the specific procedures that require pre-authorization. However, 
the requested level of specificity in these comments is not appropriate 
for regulations, and the processes and procedures at issue are more 
appropriately addressed through provider manuals, the bill processing 
agent's web page and other explanatory materials. For the above 
reasons, no changes were made to Sec.  30.700(b) in the final rule.
    Proposed Sec.  30.700(c) required that a provider submit ``all 
medical bills'' to OWCP through its bill processing portal. A health 
care provider asked the Department to clarify whether it intended to 
use electronic billing as the sole billing method in proposed Sec.  
30.700(c). The commenter was

[[Page 3038]]

concerned that supporting medical evidence can be voluminous, and 
asserted that it could be more efficiently submitted via U.S. Mail. The 
Department notes, however, that the regulatory requirement to support 
all bills for medical treatment with supporting medical reports or 
office/treatment notes has been in existence since 2001 in existing 
Sec.  30.701(a). As to whether OWCP and/or its bill processing agent 
will allow exceptions to this requirement for case-specific 
circumstances is beyond the scope of proposed Sec.  30.700(c), and thus 
no change was made to this paragraph in the final rule based on this 
comment.
    In the NPRM, proposed Sec.  30.701(a) recognized that OWCP may 
withhold payment for services until the required medical evidence 
described in proposed Sec.  30.700 is provided, and clarified that 
charges for medicinal drugs dispensed in a physician's office must be 
reported on Form OWCP-1500 or CMS-1500. An advocacy group and a 
claimant representative were concerned that the language in proposed 
Sec.  30.701(a) might force beneficiaries to pay bills that OWCP 
refuses to pay, and might ultimately leave beneficiaries without 
necessary care. This scenario appears to be dependent upon the 
particular contractual relationships between providers and their 
clients, and does not therefore involve OWCP in a meaningful way. The 
same claimant representative also suggested that proposed Sec.  
30.701(a) include a provision allowing providers to obtain 
administrative and/or judicial review if OWCP withholds payment, and 
allow providers to receive interest on a service that was provided, yet 
not paid for in a timely manner. The Department notes that a provider 
already has the ability to seek judicial review of OWCP's decision to 
withhold payment for services, and therefore does not require a 
regulatory acknowledgment of that ability. As for the payment of 
interest, the Department notes that any such payment would be governed 
by the Prompt Payment Act and is thus not within the purview of this 
rulemaking. Accordingly, no changes were made to Sec.  30.701(a) in the 
final rule based on these comments.
    Proposed Sec.  30.701(b) described OWCP's existing discretion to 
determine which codes to use in the automated billing process managed 
by its agent, and to create and supply specific codes to be used by 
providers when either seeking authorization or submitting a bill for 
payment. In addition, proposed Sec.  30.701(b) noted that OWCP will 
return and/or deny payment for a bill if no code is submitted. A 
claimant representative feared that the language in proposed Sec.  
30.701(b) recognizing this discretion might create inconsistencies and 
delays. This comment is merely conjectural, however, and is not 
consistent with OWCP's experience. The same claimant representative 
objected to the proposed language that OWCP will return and/or deny 
payment for a bill if no code is submitted, and felt that this action 
would be statutorily impermissible. On the contrary, this reasonable 
and fiscally prudent practice has been in place since the beginning of 
the program in 2001, and the Department is not persuaded by the 
commenter that it should be changed. Accordingly, no changes were made 
to this paragraph in the final rule.
    Proposed Sec.  30.701(c)(1)(ii) alerted providers that in the 
future, OWCP may adopt certain provisions contained within the Home 
Health Prospective Payment System, which was devised by CMS. Three 
health care providers, three advocacy groups and an individual objected 
to the possible adoption of any aspect of that system, alleging that it 
would not be a good fit for the EEOICPA beneficiary population, while 
one claimant representative agreed with that proposed change. The 
Department notes that this provision merely stated that OWCP may adopt 
the system, or parts of that system, in the future. Since CMS currently 
uses the system, providers should already be prepared for these changes 
if they are ultimately implemented by OWCP. Therefore, no change was 
made to proposed Sec.  30.701(c)(1)(ii) in the final rule as a result 
of these comments. In proposed Sec.  30.701(c)(3), the Department 
stated that nursing home charges for appliances, supplies or services 
``shall be subject to any applicable OWCP fee schedule.'' A claimant 
representative agreed with the Department that a fee schedule for 
nursing home charges would probably be necessary. An advocacy group 
suggested instead that the Department initiate a new rulemaking at the 
point in time that it decides to implement such a fee schedule. 
However, it is within OWCP's discretion to use such a fee schedule, and 
proposed Sec.  30.701(c)(3) merely announces that OWCP may subject 
nursing home charges to a fee schedule in the future. Therefore, no 
amendments were made to Sec.  30.701(c)(3) in the final rule.
    Proposed Sec.  30.701(d) clarified that providers must adhere to 
accepted industry standards when billing, and that billing practices 
such as upcoding and unbundling are not in accord with those industry 
standards. A claimant representative agreed with the Department's 
proposal in Sec.  30.701(d) to use ``industry standards'' for billing 
of services, and commented that ``industry standards'' should be 
mandated for all medical benefits. Accordingly, no change was needed 
for Sec.  30.701(d) in the final rule.
    Proposed Sec.  30.701(e) described OWCP's current practice of 
rejecting a bill that does not conform to the requirements in Sec.  
30.701, after which the rejected bill is returned to the provider to be 
corrected and resubmitted. Proposed Sec.  30.701(e) also clarified 
OWCP's policy that a bill must contain the provider's handwritten or 
electronic signature when required by the pertinent billing form, and 
removed language that a provider's stamp will be accepted in lieu of 
his or her signature on the bill. An advocacy group was concerned that 
the proposed language in Sec.  30.701(e) that OWCP may deny a non-
conforming bill could force beneficiaries to pay bills that OWCP 
refuses to pay, and will ultimately leave the beneficiary without 
necessary care. However, as noted above, this scenario appears to be 
dependent upon the particular contractual relationships between 
providers and their clients, and does not therefore involve OWCP in a 
meaningful way. A claimant representative suggested that the Department 
state in proposed Sec.  30.701(e) that a provider may seek review of a 
disputed bill by an administrative law judge. Once again, the 
Department notes that a provider has the ability to seek judicial 
review of a disputed bill, and a regulatory acknowledgment of that 
ability is not necessary. Two other claimant representatives argued 
that it was unreasonable for the Department to amend Sec.  30.701(e) to 
require a physician's handwritten or electronic signature, and no 
longer accept signature stamps. However, as explained in the 
Department's discussion on similar comments received in connection with 
proposed Sec.  30.416(a), this change was made to conform with the 
requirements in other programs within OWCP, and with the requirements 
of CMS. Thus, no change was made to Sec.  30.701(e) as a result of 
these comments.
    In the NPRM, proposed Sec.  30.702 clarified how an employee can 
seek reimbursement for out-of-pocket expenses incurred for the medical 
treatment of an accepted illness. Proposed Sec.  30.702(a) added a 
reference to Forms OWCP-04 and UB-04 to clarify that those forms must 
be used to request reimbursement of hospital charges. An advocacy group 
felt that the current requirement in existing Sec.  30.702(a) that an 
employee submit Form OWCP-1500 or CMS-1500 to

[[Page 3039]]

request reimbursement for professional medical services is too 
burdensome. However, this comment does not refer to a change in 
proposed Sec.  30.702(a). Because the advocacy group's comment did not 
refer to a change that was proposed in the NPRM, no amendment was made 
in the final rule with respect to this comment. The Department also 
added language in proposed Sec.  30.702(a)(1) to provide that OWCP will 
reject a reimbursement request if a provider does not indicate the code 
or a description of the service on the billing form, after which the 
beneficiary would have to resubmit a corrected bill. An advocacy group 
and a claimant representative objected to this provision, but did not 
suggest a change to the proposed language in the NPRM. This requirement 
has been in effect since the beginning of the program, and the 
Department sees no reason to change this established practice based on 
these comments.
    Proposed Sec.  30.702(d) stated that billing forms submitted by 
beneficiaries with their requests for reimbursement must bear the 
handwritten or electronic signature of the provider. The Department 
also proposed to amend language in existing Sec.  30.702(d), which 
currently provides that OWCP's decision regarding reimbursement to a 
beneficiary for out-of-pocket expenses is final, to instead provide 
that OWCP will issue a letter decision in such circumstances. An 
advocacy group and two claimant representatives objected to the new 
language in proposed Sec.  30.702(d) concerning a provider's signature. 
However, this change was made to conform with similar requirements in 
other programs administered by OWCP, and with the requirements of CMS, 
as discussed above in connection with the comments received by the 
Department on proposed Sec.  30.416(a). Another claimant representative 
agreed with the change in proposed Sec.  30.702(d) regarding OWCP's 
issuance of a letter decision. Therefore, no changes were made to 
proposed Sec.  30.702(d) as a result of these four comments.

Medical Fee Schedule

    In the NPRM, the Department proposed amending existing Sec.  
30.705(a) to provide that ``devices and supplies,'' in addition to 
``health services'' as currently stated in that paragraph, are covered 
by the OWCP fee schedule. A claimant representative agreed with the 
Department's change in proposed Sec.  30.705(a). Therefore, no changes 
were made to that paragraph in the final rule. The Department also 
proposed modifying existing Sec.  30.705(b) to provide that OWCP may 
require nursing homes to abide by a fee schedule. A claimant 
representative and two advocacy groups asserted that it was premature 
for the Department to add that language to proposed Sec.  30.705(b). 
The same claimant representative and one of those advocacy groups 
suggested that the Department initiate a separate rulemaking if it 
decides to adopt this fee schedule. The Department notes, however, that 
it is within OWCP's discretion to adopt such a fee schedule, and 
proposed Sec.  30.705(b) merely announces that OWCP may decide that 
nursing homes will be covered by a fee schedule in the future. 
Accordingly, no amendment was made to Sec.  30.705(b) in the final 
rule. In proposed Sec. Sec.  30.706 and 30.707, the Department proposed 
updating the indices used to determine maximum fees. A claimant 
representative agreed with the changes to those provisions. Therefore, 
no changes were made to those sections in the final rule.
    In the introductory text in proposed Sec.  30.709, the Department 
added language that payment will be made for medicinal drugs ``[u]nless 
otherwise specified by OWCP.'' Also in the introductory text in 
proposed Sec.  30.709, the Department added language that OWCP may 
contract for, or require the use of, specific providers for medicinal 
drugs. A claimant representative felt that the new language ``[u]nless 
otherwise specified by OWCP'' is ambiguous and requires further 
explanation. The Department added that language to clarify its 
discretionary authority in this unsettled area of medical costs, and is 
not persuaded that any change to that section is required in the final 
rule. The same claimant representative also felt that the proposed 
language in the introductory text noting that OWCP may contract for, or 
require the use of, specific providers for certain medications was a 
violation of a claimant's right to obtain his or her own physician. 
However, the proposed language only stated that OWCP may contract with 
or require the use of specific providers for certain medications; it 
did not state that beneficiaries could be required to obtain treatment 
from specific physicians. Thus, no change was made to the introductory 
text of Sec.  30.709 in the final rule.
    In the NPRM, proposed Sec.  30.709(a) clarified that the fee 
schedule for medicinal drugs applies whether the drugs are dispensed by 
a pharmacy or by a doctor in his office. A claimant representative 
commented that she generally agreed with the proposed language in Sec.  
30.709(a), but asked that the dispensing fee be unbiased and 
unambiguous, and consistent with the CMS fee schedule. The Department 
is unaware of any objective evidence of bias regarding the dispensing 
fee for medical drugs and this comment is outside the scope of the 
proposed change in Sec.  30.709(a). Because the claimant 
representative's comment goes beyond the change in the NPRM, no 
amendment was made in the final rule with respect to this comment.
    Proposed Sec.  30.709(c) codified OWCP's authority to require the 
use of generic drugs, where appropriate. A claimant representative 
generally agreed with the proposed addition, as long as a beneficiary 
can petition for ``ungeneric'' equivalents if recommended by the 
provider. An advocacy group disagreed with the Department's proposed 
change because it believes that a beneficiary's physician, not OWCP, 
must decide what medications are best for the beneficiary. However, 
OWCP has required the use of generic equivalents where available since 
the beginning of the program in 2001, and sees no reason to alter this 
established requirement. Therefore, no change made to Sec.  30.709(c) 
in the final rule as a result of this comment.
    Proposed Sec.  30.710(a) removed the terminology in existing Sec.  
30.710(a) that refers to the obsolete ``Prospective Payment System,'' 
and instead referred to the ``Inpatient Prospective Payment System'' 
devised by CMS. A claimant representative noted the change in proposed 
Sec.  30.710(a). However, since the commenter did not either support or 
oppose the proposed regulation or offer ideas for changes, no change 
was made to Sec.  30.710(a) in the final rule based on this comment. 
The same claimant representative commented on existing Sec.  30.710(b), 
but the Department did not propose any changes to this paragraph in the 
NPRM. Because the claimant representative's second comment did not 
refer to a change that was proposed in the NPRM, no amendment was made 
in the final rule with respect to this comment.
    In the NPRM, the Department added a new section, proposed Sec.  
30.711, to explain its current practice of paying hospitals for 
outpatient medical services according to Ambulatory Payment 
Classifications based on the Outpatient Prospective Payment System 
devised by CMS. To accommodate the addition of that new section, 
existing Sec. Sec.  30.711, 30.712 and 30.713 appeared in the NPRM as 
proposed Sec. Sec.  30.712, 30.713 and 30.714. A claimant 
representative generally agreed with proposed Sec.  30.711, and 
suggested adding a provision in proposed Sec.  30.711 to state that an 
aggrieved party may petition for

[[Page 3040]]

judicial review if OWCP denies payment for outpatient medical services. 
The Department notes that a claimant already has the ability to seek 
judicial review of such a denial, and does not require a regulatory 
acknowledgment of that ability. For that reason, no change was made to 
Sec.  30.711 in the final rule based on that comment.
    Proposed Sec.  30.712(a) clearly stated that OWCP will not correct 
procedure or diagnosis codes on submitted bills. Rather, those bills 
will be returned to the provider for correction because the 
responsibility for proper submission of bills lies with the provider. A 
claimant representative commented that the Department's proposed change 
in Sec.  30.712(a) may cause unnecessary delay. This requirement, 
however, is not new to this rulemaking and has been in existence since 
the beginning of the program. Therefore, since the Department sees no 
reason to alter this requirement, no change was made to this paragraph 
in the final rule. The same claimant representative commented on both 
proposed Sec. Sec.  30.712(b) and 30.713(a), but the Department did not 
propose any changes to those provisions in the NPRM. Because the 
claimant representative's latter comments referred to regulatory text 
that was not changed in the NPRM, no amendment was made in the final 
rule with respect to those comments.
    Proposed Sec.  30.713(a)(1) clarified that the provider should make 
a request for reconsideration of a fee determination to the district 
office with jurisdiction of the employee's claim. A claimant 
representative agreed with that change. Accordingly, no change was 
needed for Sec.  30.713(a)(1) in the final rule. In addition, proposed 
Sec.  30.713(b) provided that a Regional Director's decision on a 
reduction in a provider's fee is final. A claimant representative 
objected to the Department's addition in proposed Sec.  30.713(b), and 
suggested adding language stating that the provider has the right to 
file an objection with an administrative law judge or in Federal 
district court. The Department added the provision concerning the 
finality of the Regional Director's decision to Sec.  30.713(b) to 
conform with similar regulations in another program administered by 
OWCP, and is not persuaded to deviate from those similar regulations. 
For that reason, no change was made to Sec.  30.713(b) in the final 
rule.

Exclusion of Providers

    In the NPRM, the Department proposed adding two new paragraphs, 
proposed Sec.  30.715(i) and (j), to existing Sec.  30.715 to set out 
two new reasonable bases for excluding providers. In proposed Sec.  
30.715(i), a provider may be excluded for failing to inform OWCP of any 
change in its provider status, and in proposed Sec.  30.715(j), a 
provider may be excluded for engaging in conduct related to care found 
by OWCP to be misleading, deceptive or unfair. A claimant 
representative suggested that the Department add text, presumably in 
the introductory paragraph of existing Sec.  30.715, to state that OWCP 
will exclude providers based on ``substantial relevant evidence,'' and 
that providers have the right to seek administrative review. These 
suggestions, however, do not relate to the proposed changes in existing 
Sec.  30.715. Further, the Department notes that an excluded provider 
already has the ability to request a hearing before an administrative 
law judge as outlined in existing Sec. Sec.  30.720 through 30.723, and 
to seek judicial review of such a decision excluding them from the 
program. Thus, the suggested changes to existing Sec.  30.715 suggested 
by the commenter were not made in the final rule.
    With respect to proposed Sec.  30.715(i), two health care providers 
relayed their fears that the language in that proposed paragraph might 
cause a provider to be excluded for something as inadvertent as a mere 
administrative mishap. In addition, both of those health care providers 
and an advocacy group requested that the Department clearly define the 
terms used in the text of that paragraph. The Department believes that 
a provider's failure to inform OWCP that it no longer satisfies all 
applicable Federal and state licensure and regulatory requirements is 
significant, rather than a mere administrative mishap, and thus a valid 
basis for exclusion. Also, the Department firmly believes that the 
grounds upon which it may exclude a provider involve matters of 
administrative discretion that need not be further defined. Therefore, 
the Department is not persuaded that proposed Sec.  30.715(i) should be 
modified in the final rule as requested by these commenters.
    As for proposed Sec.  30.715(j), four individuals, one health care 
provider and a law firm believed that the wording in proposed Sec.  
30.715(j) was overbroad and arbitrary. Two advocacy groups, the same 
and one other health care provider and the law firm suggested that the 
Department clearly define the terms used in the text of that paragraph. 
As it noted above, the Department firmly believes that the grounds upon 
which it may exclude a provider involve matters of administrative 
discretion that need not be further defined. Two of the individual 
commenters asserted that proposed Sec.  30.715(j) will infringe on a 
state's authority to regulate licensed health care providers. However, 
OWCP is not now, and will not in the future, monitoring a provider's 
compliance with state licensing and other regulatory requirements, and 
therefore no such infringement exists. Accordingly, no change was made 
to Sec.  30.715(j) in the final rule based on these comments.
    In the NPRM, the Department added a new paragraph, proposed Sec.  
30.716(c), to clarify that a provider may voluntarily choose to be 
excluded without undergoing the exclusion process. That clarification 
was meant to address situations where providers may simply agree to be 
excluded, and thereby avoid a possibly burdensome administrative 
exclusion process when, for example, they are facing criminal charges 
unrelated to the provision of services to any EEOICPA beneficiaries. A 
claimant representative suggested that the Department should state in 
proposed Sec.  30.716(c) that a provider may voluntarily exclude 
themselves from the program. Such clarification is unnecessary since 
the language in proposed Sec.  30.716(c) states exactly what the 
commenter suggested. Therefore, no change was made to that paragraph in 
the final rule.
    Proposed Sec.  30.717 reorganized existing Sec.  30.717 into three 
separate paragraphs to provide that the Department's Office of 
Inspector General (DOL OIG) will be primarily responsible for 
investigating all potential exclusions of providers, instead of the 
Regional Director as provided in existing Sec.  30.717. Proposed Sec.  
30.717(a) stated that OWCP will forward exclusion-related information 
to the DOL OIG. A claimant representative agreed with the changes in 
proposed Sec.  30.717(a). Another claimant representative commented 
that exclusion matters should be handled by the Regional Director, not 
the DOL OIG, since the current regulations state that the Regional 
Director will handle those matters. The Department acknowledged in the 
preamble to the proposed rule that this function was previously handled 
by OWCP; however, OWCP has no investigatory arm and lacks resources to 
carry out this responsibility. The Department continues to believe that 
the DOL OIG is in the best position to handle such investigations. A 
health care provider commented that referral to the DOL OIG will result 
in significant and expensive adverse impacts on legitimate providers. 
This commenter did not provide any proof to validate the

[[Page 3041]]

fear that such problems will occur, nor has this been OWCP's experience 
in its administration of another compensation program that already uses 
this contemplated process. Another health care provider commented that 
proposed Sec.  30.717(a) lacked necessary details. However, that 
paragraph merely announced that the DOL OIG will be responsible for 
investigating all possible exclusions of providers, and therefore any 
further explanation of the process involved would be superfluous. For 
the reasons stated above, the Department is not persuaded that any 
change is needed in Sec.  30.717(a); therefore, no change was made in 
the final rule.
    In proposed Sec.  30.717(c), the Department described the contents 
of the written report that the DOL OIG would need to prepare for OWCP 
if it determined that there was reasonable cause to believe that any 
violations enumerated in proposed Sec.  30.715 had occurred. The law 
firm and a health care provider suggested wording changes to proposed 
Sec.  30.717(c), but those changes would inadvisably limit the amount 
of discretion that the Department feels is necessary in this process. 
Therefore, the suggested changes to this paragraph were not made in the 
final rule.
    Proposed Sec.  30.718(a) through (f) contained minor wording 
changes to the existing language in those paragraphs with respect to 
how OWCP will notify a provider of its intent to exclude them, in order 
to conform the existing regulatory language with similar regulations in 
another program administered by OWCP. A health care provider asked the 
Department to add specific details in proposed Sec.  30.718 about what 
will happen to the clients of excluded providers, and whether OWCP will 
alert other home health care providers that a specific provider was 
excluded from the program. However, the above comment was outside the 
scope of the changes in proposed Sec.  30.718. Because the comment goes 
beyond the change in the NPRM, no amendment was made in the final rule 
with respect to this comment. In proposed Sec.  30.718(e), the 
Department proposed allowing a provider 60 days, instead of 30 days as 
stated in current Sec.  30.718(e), to respond to a letter of intent. A 
claimant representative agreed with that provision. Under these 
circumstances, no changes were made in Sec.  30.718(e) based on the 
comment.
    Proposed Sec.  30.719(c) stated that ``[t]he provider may inspect 
or request copies of information in the record at any time prior to the 
deciding official's decision by making such request to OWCP within 20 
days of receipt of the letter of intent,'' while existing Sec.  
30.719(c) does not contain any time requirements. Two health care 
providers commented that this language was confusing, and both of those 
commenters suggested that no timeframe for requesting information 
should be imposed. The Department is not persuaded that the proposed 
regulation is confusing, because both of these commenters have read it 
properly regarding the 20-day period for requesting access. Regarding 
the suggestion that no timeframe should be imposed, the Department 
thinks that it is reasonable for a provider to decide, within 20 days 
of receiving the letter of intent, whether or not it wants to review 
any information in the record. Allowing these requests to be made at 
any time would likely result in an inefficient and slower 
administrative review process, which would benefit neither the provider 
nor OWCP. Thus, no amendments were made to those provisions in the 
final rule. In the NPRM, the Department added a new paragraph, proposed 
Sec.  30.719(d), to allow OWCP 30 days to answer the provider's 
response to OWCP's letter of intent, and to allow the provider 15 days 
to reply to OWCP's answer. A claimant representative suggested that the 
Department allow OWCP 60 days, instead of 30 days, to answer a 
provider's response in proposed Sec.  30.719(d). However, the 
Department made this change to conform with similar regulations in 
another program administered by OWCP. For that reason, and since the 
claimant representative gave no reason for her suggestion, no changes 
were made in Sec.  30.719 in the final rule based on her comment.
    In proposed Sec. Sec.  30.720 through 30.723, the Department made 
minor wording changes to the existing language in those sections that 
addresses how an excluded provider can request a hearing, how hearings 
are assigned and scheduled, how subpoenas or advisory opinions are 
obtained and how an administrative law judge will conduct a hearing and 
issue a recommended decision, respectively. A claimant representative 
suggested that the Department's changes in those proposed sections were 
unnecessary. However, these sections were amended to conform with 
similar regulations in another program administered by OWCP. Thus, the 
proposed changes are necessary, and no changes were made to those 
sections in the final rule as a result of this comment.
    Proposed Sec.  30.724(a) through (h) modified the manner in which 
the administrative law judge's recommended decision on exclusion 
becomes final. In particular, proposed Sec.  30.724(h) stated that no 
recommended decision regarding exclusion will become final until the 
Director for Energy Employees Occupational Illness Compensation issues 
the decision in final form, while existing Sec.  30.724(a) provides 
that an administrative law judge's recommended decision on exclusion 
becomes final if no objection is filed. A claimant representative and a 
health care provider commented that they did not understand why the 
Department modified this section in the NPRM. That same health care 
provider objected to the language in proposed Sec.  30.724(h) and 
argued that it gave the Director authority over administrative law 
judges and the DOL OIG. The Department disagrees that the proposed 
changes will give the Director any managerial authority over 
administrative law judges and/or the DOL OIG, and notes again that it 
added that language in order to conform the provision to similar 
regulations in another program administered by OWCP. Therefore, no 
changes were made to that paragraph in the final rule.
    In the NPRM, the Department proposed adding paragraph (a)(4) to 
existing Sec.  30.725 to state that OWCP will notify the state or local 
authority responsible for licensing or certifying the excluded party of 
the exclusion. A claimant representative questioned whether OWCP has 
the authority to do so; the Department is confident that OWCP has such 
authority, as would any member of the public with knowledge relevant to 
the professional deficiencies of any licensed provider. A health care 
provider asked the Department to explain the difference between 
automatic and non-automatic exclusion, but this comment does not 
pertain to the change proposed in Sec.  30.725(a)(4). Because the 
health care provider's comment did not refer to a change that was 
proposed in the NPRM, no amendment was made to Sec.  30.725(a)(4) in 
the final rule.
    Proposed Sec.  30.726(c) corrected outdated terminology by 
replacing the word ``argument'' with ``presentation.'' A claimant 
representative commented that the change was unnecessary. The 
Department agrees that this change is minor; however, it was made to 
conform to similar regulations in another program administered by OWCP. 
For that reason, no changes were made to Sec.  30.726(c) in the final 
rule in response to this single comment.

Subpart I--Wage-Loss Determinations Under Part E of EEOICPA

General Provisions

    In proposed Sec.  30.800(c), the Department updated a cross-
reference to

[[Page 3042]]

reflect the changed location of the regulatory provision defining the 
term covered illness from Sec.  30.5(r) to Sec.  30.5(s). A claimant 
representative commented that the cross-reference change in Sec.  
30.800(c) was unnecessary. Nonetheless, because this change was needed 
to reflect the changed location of the regulatory provision, no change 
was made to Sec.  30.800(c) in the final rule. The Department proposed 
slight modifications and additions to the definitions related to wage-
loss benefits available under Part E contained in proposed Sec.  
30.801. A claimant representative generally agreed with those changes, 
and specifically asserted that the regulatory definition of wages in 
proposed Sec.  30.801(g) should refer explicitly to the ``time of 
injury.'' However, because the term ``time of injury'' is only relevant 
to a determination whether an individual has forfeited his or her 
entitlement under section 7385i(a) of EEOICPA, and because the 
definition of wages needs to be applicable to potentially multiple 
points of time in a single claim, no change to Sec.  30.801 was made in 
the final rule.

Evidence of Wage-Loss

    Proposed Sec.  30.805(a) set out in detail the criteria, derived 
from the statute at section 7385s-2(a)(2)(A) of EEOICPA that claimants 
must establish in order to be eligible for wage-loss benefits under 
Part E. A claimant representative suggested that proposed Sec.  
30.805(a) wrongly placed the burden of proof on claimants to establish 
their entitlement to wage-loss benefits, because she believed that once 
OWCP determines that a claimant is a covered employee who contracted a 
covered illness, ``then the employee claimant is mandated to receive 
wage-loss'' benefits. However, this comment does not recognize that 
there are clearly discernable eligibility requirements for wage-loss 
benefits in section 7385s-2(a)(2)(A) beyond those set out in section 
7385s-4 of EEOICPA, and that it is the claimant's burden, as stated by 
the U.S. Supreme Court, to provide evidence to meet the requirements in 
both of those sections of EEOICPA. Therefore, no change was made to 
Sec.  30.805(a) in the final rule as a result of this comment.
    Proposed Sec.  30.805(b) explained that OWCP may discontinue 
development of a covered Part E employee's request for wage-loss 
benefits at any point when the claimant is unable to meet his or her 
burden of proof to submit factual and/or medical evidence to establish 
the criteria specified in proposed Sec.  30.805(a). Two claimant 
representatives and four advocacy groups objected to proposed Sec.  
30.805(b), because they were concerned that the decision to discontinue 
development would not be subject to administrative review if OWCP 
administratively closed such a claim for wage-loss benefits without 
issuing recommended and final decisions. However, the text of proposed 
Sec.  30.805(b) nowhere suggested that this would occur. The Department 
has added text to Sec.  30.805(b) in the final rule to make clear that 
a decision would issue.
    In the NPRM, proposed Sec.  30.806 was substantially similar to 
current Sec.  30.805(b), except that it provided an explanation of what 
OWCP would consider to be ``rationalized'' medical evidence, i.e., 
medical evidence based on a physician's fully explained and reasoned 
decision, which a covered Part E employee must submit in order to 
establish that the claimed wage-loss at issue was causally related to 
the employee's covered illness. Additionally, proposed Sec.  30.806 
memorialized OWCP's established policy and Federal case law that wage-
loss sustained due to something other than a covered illness is not 
compensable under Part E of EEOICPA. See Trego v. U.S. Dep't of Labor, 
681 F.Supp. 2d 894 (E.D. Tenn. 2009). Two advocacy groups, one claimant 
representative and the Advisory Board suggested that several terms used 
in the text describing the type of medical evidence a claimant must 
submit to prove that he or she lost wages in the alleged trigger month 
needed to be defined further or eliminated, and suggested that the type 
of medical evidence described in proposed Sec.  30.806 would be 
difficult for claimants to obtain. It should be noted, however, that 
proposed Sec.  30.806 does not alter or increase the existing 
requirement for the submission of this medical evidence in current 
Sec.  30.805(b). Rather, it gives a fuller and more helpful description 
of the type of medical evidence necessary, which is useful to claimants 
seeking to obtain these benefits. Accordingly, no changes were made to 
Sec.  30.806 in the final rule.
    Proposed new Sec.  30.807 was added to accommodate the changes 
described above in proposed Sec.  30.806. Proposed Sec.  30.807(a) was 
substantially similar to existing Sec.  30.805(a), except that the 
provision stated that OWCP may rely upon annual, as well as quarterly, 
wage information that has been reported to the Social Security 
Administration. Also, the Department sought to move language defining 
``wages'' that appears in current Sec.  30.805(a) to a new Sec.  
30.801(g). And finally, proposed Sec.  30.807(b) was substantially 
similar to existing Sec.  30.806, which describes the submission of 
factual evidence of wage-loss by claimants. A claimant representative 
submitted a comment in which she questioned whether the changes in 
proposed Sec.  30.807 were necessary. These regulatory changes not only 
reorganize and clarify the existing regulatory description of the 
process for developing wage-loss claims, but also explain how OWCP has 
interpreted and applied the complex provisions of the statute. Because 
of this, and also because the commenter did not suggest a viable 
alternative, no change to Sec.  30.807 was made in the final rule in 
response to this comment.

Determinations of Average Annual Wage and Percentages of Loss

    In the NPRM, the Department proposed revising existing Sec.  30.810 
to state that it will calculate the average annual wage of a covered 
Part E employee using months instead of quarters, to be consistent with 
proposed Sec.  30.801(a). Also, proposed Sec.  30.811(a) combined the 
text from paragraphs (a) and (b) in existing Sec.  30.811, since the 
current text in those paragraphs is repetitive. A claimant 
representative questioned the need for the admittedly minor conforming 
changes in proposed Sec. Sec.  30.810 and 30.811. However, the proposed 
minor changes to existing Sec.  30.810 were needed to conform with 
other proposed changes in subpart I, and repetitive text was removed 
from proposed Sec.  30.811 to make it clearer. Under these 
circumstances, the Department did not make any changes to Sec. Sec.  
30.810 and 30.811 in the final rule with respect to this comment.

Subpart J--Impairment Benefits Under Part E of EEOICPA

General Provisions

    In the NPRM, proposed Sec.  30.901(a) deleted the word ``minimum'' 
from the statutory term ``minimum impairment rating'' that appears in 
the existing paragraph, and proposed Sec.  30.901(b) deleted the same 
statutory term entirely. In addition, the Department proposed deleting 
the statement that appears in existing Sec.  30.901(b) that OWCP will 
determine impairment ratings under EEOICPA in accordance with the AMA's 
Guides. A claimant representative and an advocacy group objected to the 
deletion of the word ``minimum'' in proposed Sec.  30.901(a), and to 
the deletion of the term ``minimum impairment rating'' in (b), and 
pointed out that this language appears in the statutory description of 
impairment ratings found in 42 U.S.C. 7385s-2(a)(1)(A)(i). However, as 
the

[[Page 3043]]

Department pointed out when it published proposed Sec.  30.901(a) and 
(b), the word ``minimum'' has no actual meaning in the context of 
rating permanent impairment, nor does it meaningfully describe or 
further modify ``impairment rating.'' Put simply, there is no 
difference between a ``minimum impairment rating'' and an ``impairment 
rating'' when a claimant has reached maximum medical improvement. The 
same advocacy group, a second advocacy group, a claimant representative 
and a health care provider also objected to the deletion of the 
statement that OWCP will determine impairment ratings under EEOICPA in 
accordance with the AMA's Guides, and asserted that this change was 
confusing and contrary to section 7385s-2(b). The Department agrees, 
but notes that the deletion in question was made at the insistence of 
the Office of the Federal Register, which deemed it to be a prohibited 
incorporation of material by reference. Accordingly, for the reasons 
stated above, no changes were made to Sec.  30.901(a) and (b) in the 
final rule based on the above comments.
    Proposed new Sec.  30.902(b) added text to describe OWCP's 
longstanding policy of proportionately reducing an impairment award in 
circumstances when such award is payable based on a whole person 
impairment rating, and at least one of the elements of the award is 
subject to a reduction under existing Sec. Sec.  30.505(b) and/or 
30.626. A claimant representative objected to the new paragraph, and 
mistakenly assumed that these reductions would be made without 
providing a claimant with notice and an opportunity to respond. 
Appropriate process will be provided, and therefore no changes were 
made to Sec.  30.902(b) in the final rule.

Medical Evidence of Impairment

    Proposed Sec.  30.908(b) and (c) replaced the term ``minimum 
impairment rating'' with ``impairment rating,'' to be consistent with 
the changes in proposed Sec. Sec.  30.102(a), 30.901 and 30.902. A 
claimant representative objected to that change, for the same reasons 
she gave in support of her comments regarding proposed Sec.  30.901. 
However, and as noted above regarding those comments, the word 
``minimum'' serves no actual purpose in the determination of a 
claimant's impairment rating. Accordingly, and as it did above in 
connection with proposed Sec.  30.901, the Department did not make any 
changes to Sec.  30.908(b) and (c) in the final rule based on this 
comment. The same claimant representative, as well as a health care 
provider and two advocacy groups, commented on other aspects of 
proposed Sec.  30.908(b) and (c) in the NPRM that were no different 
from existing Sec.  30.908(b) and (c). Since the only change to the 
existing paragraphs that were made in proposed Sec.  30.908(b) and (c) 
was the deletion of the words ``minimum,'' none of the changes 
suggested by this second group of comments were made to Sec.  30.908(b) 
and (c) in the final rule.

IV. Miscellaneous Rulemaking Issues

    During this rulemaking process, several extraneous issues arose 
that are not addressed in the above section-by-section analysis. The 
Department's analysis of the requests it received to extend the comment 
periods, the comment it received from the Advisory Board on issues that 
were either outside the Advisory Board's scope of duties under section 
7385s-16(b)(1) of EEOICPA or not addressed in any aspect of the 
proposed changes, and its communications with interested parties about 
the NPRM outside of the rulemaking process follows:

Requests To Extend the Comment Period

    Prior to expiration of the original January 19, 2016 deadline to 
submit comments concerning the NPRM, the Department received 33 timely 
comments that requested that the Department extend the comment period, 
but did not otherwise comment on any aspect of the proposed rule (24 
from different individuals, 1 of whom submitted 2 separate comments, 3 
from advocacy groups, 2 from claimant representatives, 1 from a health 
care provider and 1 from a member of Congress), while an additional 3 
timely comments requested that the Department extend the comment period 
and also commented on aspects of the proposed rule (2 from individuals 
and 1 from a health care provider). Most of the commenters asked that 
the comment period be extended to allow the Advisory Board to be seated 
and have the opportunity to comment on the proposed rule. The remainder 
of these requesters asked for an extension for reasons such as the 
comment period was disrupted by several holidays, and because the 
elderly and sick population interested in the program needed more time 
to review the proposed changes.
    On January 19, 2016, the Department extended the comment period 
another 30 days through February 18, 2016. During the 30-day extended 
period, the Department received requests that the comment period be 
extended yet further from 99 commenters. Of those 99 commenters, 95 
requested that the Department extend the comment period but did not 
otherwise comment on any aspect of the proposed rule (92 from 
individuals, 2 from unknown persons or organizations, and 1 from a 
health care provider), while an additional 4 timely commenters 
requested that the Department extend the comment period and also 
commented on aspects of the proposed rule (1 from the same health care 
provider and 1 from another health care provider, 1 from an individual 
and 1 from a labor organization). The Department also received 1 
untimely request from an individual requesting an extension. A 
significant portion of these requests were identical or nearly 
identical ``form letters'' that generally asked for more time for 
physicians to review the proposed regulations, and some asked the 
Department to hold Town Hall meetings. The few remaining requesters 
asked the Department to wait until the Advisory Board was seated before 
issuing final regulations.

Comments From the Advisory Board on Toxic Substances and Worker Health

    On April 5, 2016, the Department reopened the comment period for 
the NPRM through May 9, 2016, to afford interested parties the 
opportunity to further review the NPRM, and to afford the new Advisory 
Board the opportunity to review the NPRM at its public meeting held 
April 26, 27 and 28, 2016. Prior to the meeting, the Advisory Board 
received legal guidance with respect to which of the sections of the 
NPRM were within the scope of its duties, as specified in Sec.  7385s-
16(b)(1) of EEOICPA, and which other sections fell outside its scope of 
duties. During the reopened comment period, the Department received 180 
comments, including 1 from the Advisory Board.
    The Department thanks the Advisory Board for its work. The Advisory 
Board addressed a number of aspects of the proposed regulations in its 
comment. Section 7385s-16(b)(1) of EEOICPA sets out the scope of the 
Board's advisory duties and, consequently, the Department's bounds on 
formal consideration of that advice. Some of the issues raised by the 
Board addressed sections of the regulation that fell within its duties: 
Sec. Sec.  30.206(a), 30.231(b), 30.232(a)(1) and (2), 30.405(b) and 
(c), 30.509(c) and 30.806. The Department discussed these comments in 
the section-by-section analysis set forth above. The Advisory Board 
also went outside its statutory mandate to submit comments on proposed 
Sec. Sec.  30.5(j), 30.5(x)(2)(iii), 30.5(ee), 30.112(b)(3), 30.231(a) 
and 30.805(a)(3). Although the Department did not discuss this second 
set of Advisory Board comments in the section-by-

[[Page 3044]]

section analysis, the issues raised in those comments were also raised 
in other timely comments and thus were fully addressed. Lastly, the 
Advisory Board commented on existing Sec.  30.230(d)(2)(iii) and 
aspects of proposed Sec.  30.231(b) that were not included in the NPRM, 
and therefore no discussion of that comment was included in the 
Department's section-by-section analysis.

Communications Outside of the Rulemaking Process

    Meetings or discussions with one or more parties about NPRMs can 
take place outside of the comment process, provided that the agency 
properly documents the particulars of those communications. However, 
such discussions are not a substitute for submission of public 
comments, and the content of those communications cannot be considered 
in preparation of the final rule.
    During the comment periods for this NPRM, DOL personnel had a total 
of 16 instances wherein they discussed aspects of the NPRM with 
interested individuals and groups outside of the formal comment 
process. Specifically, DOL personnel attended four face-to-face 
meetings with congressional staff at the request of the staffers and 
spoke with a member of the press on two separate occasions. In 
addition, three advocacy groups, two claimant representatives, two 
NIOSH employees and one health care provider contacted DOL personnel on 
matters relating to the NPRM. Also, on April 4, 2016, DOL personnel 
provided a briefing on the NPRM to all members of the Advisory Board, 
and the Advisory Board discussed the NPRM at its public meeting held 
April 26, 27 and 28, 2016. Although those specific discussions were not 
considered in preparation of this final rule, the subjects and sections 
of the NPRM that were discussed in those communications were addressed 
by the timely comments that are discussed above.

V. Publication in Final

    The Department has determined, pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 553(b)(B), that 
good cause exists for waiving public comment on this final rule with 
respect to the following changes: (1) Corrections of typographical 
errors; and (2) minor wording changes and clarifications that do not 
affect the substance of the regulations. For these changes, publication 
of a proposed rule and solicitation of comments would be neither 
necessary nor fruitful.

VI. Statutory Authority

    Section 7384d of EEOICPA provides general statutory authority, 
which E.O. 13179 allocates to the Secretary, to prescribe rules and 
regulations necessary for administration of Part B of the Act. Section 
7385s-10 provides the Secretary with the general statutory authority to 
administer Part E of the Act. Sections 7384t, 7384u and 7385s8 provide 
the specific authority regarding medical treatment and care, including 
authority to determine the appropriateness of charges. The Federal 
Claims Collection Act of 1966, as amended (31 U.S.C. 3701 et seq.), 
authorizes imposition of interest charges and collection of debts by 
withholding funds due the debtor.

VII. Executive Orders 12866 and 13563

    E.O. 12866 directs agencies to assess all costs and benefits of 
available regulatory alternatives and, if regulation is necessary, to 
select regulatory approaches that maximize net benefits (including 
distributive impacts, equity, and potential economic, environmental, 
public health and safety effects). E.O. 13563 is supplemental to and 
reaffirms the principles, structures, and definitions governing 
regulatory review as established in E.O. 12866.
    This rule has been designated a ``significant regulatory action'' 
although not economically significant under section 3(f) of E.O. 12866. 
The rule is not economically significant because it will not have an 
annual effect on the economy of $100 million or more. The Department 
believes that this rule is merely an update to the existing regulations 
to reflect the program's current processes, and to incorporate the 
policy and procedural changes that have been implemented since the 
existing regulations were issued in 2006.
    Thus, the Department does not believe that any of the above 
significant policies in the final rule will result in increased or 
decreased administrative costs to either the program or the public, or 
any increase in benefits paid. This rule has been reviewed by the 
Office of Management and Budget.

VIII. Regulatory Flexibility Act

    This rule has been reviewed in accordance with the Regulatory 
Flexibility Act of 1980, as amended by the Small Business Regulatory 
Enforcement Fairness Act of 1996, 5 U.S.C. 601-612. The Department has 
concluded that the rule does not involve regulatory and informational 
requirements regarding businesses, organizations and governmental 
jurisdictions subject to the regulation.

IX. Paperwork Reduction Act

    The Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA), 44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq., 
and its implementing regulations, 5 CFR part 1320, require that the 
Department consider the impact of paperwork and other information 
collection burdens imposed on the public. A Federal agency generally 
cannot conduct or sponsor a collection of information, and the public 
is generally not required to respond to an information collection, 
unless it is approved by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) 
under the PRA and displays a currently valid OMB Control Number. In 
addition, notwithstanding any other provisions of law, no person may 
generally be subject to penalty for failing to comply with a collection 
of information that does not display a valid Control Number. See 5 CFR 
1320.5(a) and 1320.6.
    This final rule contains information collection requirements 
subject to the PRA. The information collection requirements in 
Sec. Sec.  30.700, 30.701 and 30.702 of this final rule, which relate 
to information required to be submitted by claimants and medical 
providers in connection with the processing of bills, were both 
submitted to and approved by OMB under the PRA, and the currently 
approved collections in OMB Control Nos. 1240-0007, 1240-0019, 1240-
0021, 1240-0044 and 1240-0050 will not be affected by any of the 
changes made in this final rule. No comments were received concerning 
the information collection burdens in this first group of sections, and 
therefore no changes relating to those burdens were made in this final 
rule. The information collection requirements in Sec. Sec.  30.100, 
30.101, 30.102, 30.103, 30.112, 30.113, 30.206, 30.207, 30.213, 30.222, 
30.231, 30.232 and 30.416 of this final rule were also previously 
submitted to and approved by OMB under the PRA, and were assigned OMB 
Control No. 1240-0002. The information collection requirements in this 
second group of sections will not be affected by any of the substantive 
changes made in this final rule; no comments concerning the information 
collection burdens in this second group were received, and therefore no 
changes relating to those burdens were made in this final rule.
    However, in the NPRM, the Department noted that proposed sections 
30.114(b)(3) and 30.403, which, as discussed above, require parties to 
submit information OWCP needs before it can accept and then provide 
medical benefits for a claim, constituted collections of information 
within the meaning of the PRA that were being added to OMB Control. No. 
1240-0002.

[[Page 3045]]

80 FR 72302-72304. The NPRM specifically invited comments regarding the 
information collections and notified the public of their opportunity to 
file such comments with both OMB and the Department. Id. On the same 
date the NPRM was published, the Department submitted a series of 
Information Collection Requests (ICRs) to OMB for approval in order to 
update the information collections to be consistent with the proposed 
rule. On January 19, 2016, OMB concluded its reviews by asking the 
Department to submit a summary of all comments received on the proposed 
information collections and identify any changes made in response to 
these comments. Id.
    The Department received comments on the substance of proposed 
sections 30.114(b)(3) and 30.403; those comments are fully addressed in 
the above section-by-section analysis entitled ``Comments on the 
Proposed Regulations.'' The Department also received 18 comments about 
the information collections in proposed section 30.403, but no comments 
on the information collections in proposed Sec.  30.114(b)(3) were 
received. The comments regarding proposed Sec.  30.403 were submitted 
by 17 different commenters (one of whom submitted two separate 
comments). Ten physicians, two individuals, three health care providers 
and one claimant representative submitted comments in which they stated 
that the information collection burdens of the proposed Form EE-17A 
(which asks the claimant to provide OWCP with the name and contact 
information for their treating physician) and Form EE-17B (which asks 
the treating physician to verify that a timely a face-to-face 
examination took place and to submit a Letter of Medical Necessity 
supporting the requested services) were excessive. However, the 
Department notes that these comments are based on the erroneous 
supposition that these two new forms will add additional burdens on the 
public and delay the provision of necessary services, when in fact they 
are intended to standardize and thus replace the current individualized 
method (currently not accounted for under the PRA) for OWCP's required 
pre-authorization process which can, and often does, take longer than 
all parties would wish. One individual commenter praised the idea 
behind the creation of proposed Forms EE-17A and EE-17B, noting that 
standardizing the process would likely bring a measure of order to an 
otherwise often chaotic process. The Department is in agreement with 
this last commenter, and made no changes to the information collection 
instruments at issue. The Department is submitting ICRs to OMB for the 
information collections to revise and update them for this final rule.
    The information collections in this rule may be summarized as 
follows. The number of responses and burden estimates listed are not 
specific to the Energy program; instead, the estimates are cumulative 
for all OWCP-administered compensation programs that collect this 
information.
    1. Title of Collection: Energy Employees Occupational Illness 
Compensation Program Act Forms.
    OMB Control Number: 1240-0002.
    Total Estimated Number of Responses: 60,294.
    Total Estimated Annual Time Burden: 20,359 hours.
    Total Estimated Annual Other Costs Burden: $28,989.48.
    2. Title of Collection: Claim for Medical Reimbursement Form.
    OMB Control Number: 1240-0007.
    Total Estimated Number of Responses: 34,564.
    Total Estimated Annual Time Burden: 5,738 hours.
    Total Estimated Annual Other Costs Burden: $59,450.
    3. Title of Collection: Uniform Billing Form (OWCP-04).
    OMB Control Number: 1240-0019.
    Total Estimated Number of Responses: 259,865.
    Total Estimated Annual Time Burden: 29,466.
    Total Estimated Annual Other Costs Burden: $0.
    4. Title of Collection: Provider Enrollment Form.
    OMB Control Number: 1240-0021.
    Total Estimated Number of Responses: 64,325.
    Total Estimated Annual Time Burden: 8,555 hours.
    Total Estimated Annual Other Costs Burden: $33,449.
    5. Title of Collection: Health Insurance Claim Form.
    OMB Control Number: 1240-0044.
    Total Estimated Number of Responses: 3,381,232.
    Total Estimated Annual Time Burden: 321,455 hours.
    Total Estimated Annual Other Costs Burden: $0.
    6. Title of Collection: Pharmacy Billing Requirements.
    OMB Control Number: 1240-0050.
    Total Estimated Number of Responses: 1,381,903.
    Total Estimated Annual Time Burden: 24,203 hours.
    Total Estimated Annual Other Costs Burden: $0.

X. Unfunded Mandates Reform Act

    Title II of the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act of 1995 (2 U.S.C. 1531 
et seq.) directs agencies to assess the effects of Federal regulatory 
actions on state, local, and tribal governments, and the private 
sector, ``other than to the extent that such regulations incorporate 
requirements specifically set forth in law.'' For purposes of the 
Unfunded Mandates Reform Act, this final rule does not include any 
Federal mandate that may result in increased annual expenditures in 
excess of $100 million by state, local or tribal governments in the 
aggregate, or by the private sector.

XI. Executive Order 13132 (Federalism)

    The Department has reviewed this final rule in accordance with E.O. 
13132 regarding federalism, and has determined that it does not have 
``federalism implications.'' The final rule does not ``have substantial 
direct effects on the States, on the relationship between the national 
government and the States, or on the distribution of power and 
responsibilities among the various levels of government.''

XII. Executive Order 13175 (Consultation and Coordination With Indian 
Tribal Governments)

    The Department has reviewed this final rule in accordance with E.O. 
13175 and has determined that it does not have ``tribal implications.'' 
The final rule does not ``have substantial direct effects on one or 
more Indian tribes, on the relationship between the Federal government 
and Indian tribes, or on the distribution of power and responsibilities 
between the Federal government and Indian tribes.''

XIII. Executive Order 12988 (Civil Justice Reform)

    This final rule has been drafted and reviewed in accordance with 
E.O. 12988 and will not unduly burden the Federal court system. The 
regulation has been written so as to minimize litigation and provide a 
clear legal standard for affected conduct, and has been reviewed 
carefully to eliminate drafting errors and ambiguities.

XIV. Executive Order 13045 (Protection of Children From Environmental, 
Health Risks and Safety Risks)

    In accordance with E.O. 13045, the Department has evaluated the 
environmental health and safety effects of this rule on children, and 
has determined that the final rule will have no effect on children.

[[Page 3046]]

XV. Executive Order 13211 (Actions Concerning Regulations That 
Significantly Affect Energy Supply, Distribution, or Use)

    In accordance with E.O. 13211, the Department has evaluated the 
effects of this final rule on energy supply, distribution or use, and 
has determined that it is not likely to have a significant adverse 
effect on them.

XVI. Executive Order 13771 (Reducing Regulation and Controlling 
Regulatory Costs)

    This rule is not subject to the requirements of E.O. 13771 because 
this rule results in no more than de minimis costs. This final rule 
simply updates some of the provisions governing EEOICPA transfers to 
ensure the program operates properly and efficiently.

List of Subjects in 20 CFR Part 30

    Administrative practice and procedure, Cancer, Claims, Kidney 
diseases, Leukemia, Lung diseases, Miners, Radioactive materials, Tort 
claims, Underground mining, Uranium, Workers' compensation.

Text of the Rule

    For the reasons stated in the preamble, the Department of Labor 
amends 20 CFR part 30 as follows:

PART 30--CLAIMS FOR COMPENSATION UNDER THE ENERGY EMPLOYEES 
OCCUPATIONAL ILLNESS COMPENSATION PROGRAM ACT OF 2000, AS AMENDED

0
 1. The authority citation for part 30 is revised to read as follows:

    Authority: 5 U.S.C. 301; 31 U.S.C. 3716 and 3717; 42 U.S.C. 
7384d, 7384t, 7384u and 7385s-10; Executive Order 13179, 65 FR 
77487, 3 CFR, 2000 Comp., p. 321; Secretary of Labor's Order No. 10-
2009, 74 FR 58834.

0
 2. Revise Sec.  30.1 to read as follows:


Sec.  30.1   What rules govern the administration of EEOICPA and this 
chapter?

    In accordance with EEOICPA, Executive Order 13179 and Secretary's 
Order No. 10-2009, the primary responsibility for administering the 
Act, except for those activities assigned to the Secretary of Health 
and Human Services (HHS), the Secretary of Energy and the Attorney 
General, has been delegated to the Director of the Office of Workers' 
Compensation Programs (OWCP). Except as otherwise provided by law, the 
Director of OWCP and his or her designees have the exclusive authority 
to administer, interpret and enforce the provisions of the Act.

0
3. Amend Sec.  30.2 by revising paragraph (b) to read as follows:


Sec.  30.2   In general, how have the tasks associated with the 
administration of EEOICPA claims process been assigned?

* * * * *
    (b) However, HHS has exclusive control of the portion of the claims 
process under which it provides reconstructed doses for certain 
radiogenic cancer claims (see Sec.  30.115), which it delegated to the 
National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) in 42 CFR 
part 82. HHS also has exclusive control of the process for designating 
classes of employees to be added to the Special Exposure Cohort under 
Part B of the Act, and has promulgated regulations governing that 
process at 42 CFR part 83. Finally, HHS has promulgated regulations at 
42 CFR part 81 that set out guidelines that OWCP follows when it 
assesses the compensability of an employee's radiogenic cancer (see 
Sec.  30.213). DOE and DOJ must, among other things, notify potential 
claimants and submit evidence that OWCP deems necessary for its 
adjudication of claims under EEOICPA (see Sec. Sec.  30.105, 30.112, 
30.206, 30.212 and 30.221).

0
4. Amend Sec.  30.5 as follows:
0
a. Revise paragraphs (c)(2)(i) and (i);
0
b. Redesignate paragraphs (ii) and (jj) as paragraphs (kk) and (ll) and 
paragraphs (j) through (hh) as paragraphs (k) through (ii) and, 
respectively;
0
c. Add new paragraphs (j) and (jj);
0
d. Revise newly redesignated paragraphs (k)(2) introductory text, (w), 
(x)(2), (ee), (gg) introductory text; and (ii).
    The revisions and additions read as follows:


Sec.  30.5   What are the definitions used in this part?

* * * * *
    (c) * * *
    (2)(i) An individual employed at a facility that NIOSH reported had 
a potential for significant residual contamination outside of the 
period described in paragraph (c)(1) of this section;
* * * * *
    (i) Beryllium vendor means the specific corporations and named 
predecessor corporations listed in section 7384l(6) of the Act and any 
other entities designated as such by DOE on December 27, 2002.
    (j) Beryllium vendor facility means a facility owned and operated 
by a beryllium vendor.
    (k) * * *
    (2) A written diagnosis of silicosis is made by a licensed 
physician and is accompanied by:
* * * * *
    (w) Department of Energy or DOE includes the predecessor agencies 
of DOE back to the establishment of the Manhattan Engineer District on 
August 13, 1942.
    (x) * * *
    (2) An individual who is or was employed at a DOE facility by:
    (i) An entity that contracted with the DOE to provide management 
and operating, management and integration, or environmental remediation 
at the facility;
    (ii) A contractor or subcontractor that provided services, 
including construction and maintenance, at the facility; or
    (iii) A civilian employee of a state or Federal government agency 
if the agency employing that individual is found to have entered into a 
contract with DOE for the provision of one or more services it was not 
statutorily obligated to perform, and DOE compensated the agency for 
those services. The delivery or removal of goods from the premises of a 
DOE facility does not constitute a service for the purposes of 
determining a worker's coverage under this paragraph (x).
* * * * *
    (ee) Physician includes surgeons, podiatrists, dentists, clinical 
psychologists, optometrists, chiropractors and osteopathic 
practitioners, within the scope of their practice as defined by state 
law. Physician assistants and nurse practitioners are excluded from 
this definition. The services of chiropractors that may be reimbursed 
are limited to treatment consisting of manual manipulation of the spine 
to correct a subluxation as demonstrated by x-ray to exist.
* * * * *
    (gg) Specified cancer means:
* * * * *
    (ii) Time of injury is defined as follows:
    (1) For an employee's claim, this term means:
    (i) In regard to a claim arising out of exposure to beryllium or 
silica, the last date on which a covered Part B employee was exposed to 
such substance in the performance of duty in accordance with sections 
7384n(a) or 7384r(c) of the Act;
    (ii) In regard to a claim arising out of exposure to radiation 
under Part B, the last date on which a covered Part B employee was 
exposed to radiation in the performance of duty in accordance

[[Page 3047]]

with section 7384n(b) of the Act or, in the case of a member of the 
Special Exposure Cohort, the last date on which the member of the 
Special Exposure Cohort was employed at the Department of Energy 
facility or the atomic weapons employer facility at which the member 
was exposed to radiation; or
    (iii) In regard to a claim arising out of exposure to a toxic 
substance, the last date on which a covered Part E employee was 
employed at the Department of Energy facility or RECA section 5 
facility, as appropriate, at which the exposure took place.
    (2) For a survivor's claim, the date of the employee's death is the 
time of injury.
    (jj) Time of payment or payment means the date that a paper check 
issued by the Department of the Treasury was received by the payee or 
by someone who was legally able to act for the payee, or the date the 
Department of the Treasury made an Electronic Funds Transfer to the 
payee's financial institution.
* * * * *

0
5. Amend Sec.  30.100 by revising paragraphs (a), (c) introductory 
text, (c)(1) and (d) to read as follows:


Sec.  30.100   In general, how does an employee file an initial claim 
for benefits?

    (a) To claim benefits under EEOICPA, an employee must file a claim 
in writing with OWCP. Form EE-1 should be used for this purpose, but 
any written communication that requests benefits under EEOICPA will be 
considered a claim. It will, however, be necessary for an employee to 
submit a Form EE-1 for OWCP to fully develop the claim. Copies of Form 
EE-1 may be obtained from OWCP or on the internet at http://www.dol.gov/owcp/energy/index.htm. The employee must sign the written 
claim that is filed with OWCP, but another person may present the claim 
to OWCP on the employee's behalf.
* * * * *
    (c) Except as provided in paragraph (d) of this section, a claim is 
considered to be ``filed'' on the date that the employee mails his or 
her claim to OWCP, as determined by postmark or other carrier's date 
marking, or on the date that the claim is received by OWCP, whichever 
is the earliest determinable date. However, in no event will a claim 
under Part B of EEOICPA be considered to be ``filed'' earlier than July 
31, 2001, nor will a claim under Part E of EEOICPA be considered to be 
``filed'' earlier than October 30, 2000.
    (1) The employee shall affirm that the information provided on the 
Form EE-1 is true, and must inform OWCP of any subsequent changes to 
that information.
* * * * *
    (d) For those claims under Part E of EEOICPA that were originally 
filed with DOE as claims for assistance under former section 7385o of 
EEOICPA (which was repealed on October 28, 2004), a claim is considered 
to be ``filed'' on the date that the employee mailed his or her claim 
to DOE, as determined by postmark or other carrier's date marking, or 
on the date that the claim was received by DOE, whichever is the 
earliest determinable date. However, in no event will a claim referred 
to in this paragraph be considered to be ``filed'' earlier than October 
30, 2000.

0
6. Amend Sec.  30.101 by revising paragraphs (a), (d) introductory 
text, (d)(1) and (e) to read as follows:


Sec.  30.101   In general, how is a survivor's claim filed?

    (a) A survivor of an employee must file a claim for compensation in 
writing with OWCP. Form EE-2 should be used for this purpose, but any 
written communication that requests survivor benefits under the Act 
will be considered a claim. It will, however, be necessary for a 
survivor to submit a Form EE-2 for OWCP to fully develop the claim. 
Copies of Form EE-2 may be obtained from OWCP or on the internet at 
http://www.dol.gov/owcp/energy/index.htm. The survivor must sign the 
written claim that is filed with OWCP, but another person may present 
the claim to OWCP on the survivor's behalf. Although only one survivor 
needs to file a claim under this section to initiate the development 
process, OWCP will distribute any monetary benefits payable on the 
claim among all eligible surviving beneficiaries who have filed claims 
with OWCP.
* * * * *
    (d) Except as provided in paragraph (e) of this section, a 
survivor's claim is considered to be ``filed'' on the date that the 
survivor mails his or her claim to OWCP, as determined by postmark or 
other carrier's date marking, or the date that the claim is received by 
OWCP, whichever is the earliest determinable date. However, in no event 
will a survivor's claim under Part B of the Act be considered to be 
``filed'' earlier than July 31, 2001, nor will a survivor's claim under 
Part E of the Act be considered to be ``filed'' earlier than October 
30, 2000.
    (1) The survivor shall affirm that the information provided on the 
Form EE-2 is true, and must inform OWCP of any subsequent changes to 
that information.
* * * * *
    (e) For those claims under Part E of EEOICPA that were originally 
filed with DOE as claims for assistance under former section 7385o of 
EEOICPA (which was repealed on October 28, 2004), a claim is considered 
to be ``filed'' on the date that the survivor mailed his or her claim 
to DOE, as determined by postmark or other carrier's date marking, or 
on the date that the claim was received by DOE, whichever is the 
earliest determinable date. However, in no event will a claim referred 
to in this paragraph be considered to be ``filed'' earlier than October 
30, 2000.
* * * * *

0
7. Amend Sec.  30.102 by revising paragraph (a) to read as follows:


Sec.  30.102   In general, how does an employee file a claim for 
additional impairment or wage-loss under Part E of EEOICPA?

    (a) An employee previously awarded impairment benefits by OWCP may 
file a claim for additional impairment benefits. Such claim must be 
based on an increase in the employee's impairment rating attributable 
to the covered illness or illnesses from the impairment rating that 
formed the basis for the last award of such benefits by OWCP. OWCP will 
only adjudicate claims for such an increased rating that are filed at 
least two years from the date of the last award of impairment benefits. 
However, OWCP will not wait two years before it will adjudicate a claim 
for additional impairment that is based on an allegation that the 
employee sustained a new covered illness.
* * * * *

0
8. Amend Sec.  30.103 by revising paragraph (b) to read as follows:


Sec.  30.103   How does a claimant make sure that OWCP has the evidence 
necessary to process the claim?

* * * * *
    (b) Copies of the forms listed in this section are available for 
public inspection at the U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Workers' 
Compensation Programs, Washington, DC 20210. They may also be obtained 
from OWCP district offices and on the internet at http://www.dol.gov/owcp/energy/index.htm.

0
9. Amend Sec.  30.110 by revising paragraphs (a)(1) and (4) and (b) to 
read as follows:


Sec.  30.110   Who is entitled to compensation under the Act?

    (a) * * *
    (1) A ``covered beryllium employee'' (as described in Sec.  
30.205(a)) with a covered beryllium illness (as defined in Sec.  
30.5(p)) who was exposed to beryllium

[[Page 3048]]

in the performance of duty (in accordance with Sec.  30.206).
* * * * *
    (4) A ``covered uranium employee'' (as defined in Sec.  30.5(t)).
    (b) Under Part E of EEOICPA, compensation is payable to a ``covered 
Part E employee'' (as defined in Sec.  30.5(q)), or his or her 
survivors.
* * * * *

0
10. Amend Sec.  30.112 by revising paragraph (b)(3) to read as follows:


Sec.  30.112   What kind of evidence is needed to establish covered 
employment and how will that evidence be evaluated?

* * * * *
    (b) * * *
    (3) If the only evidence of covered employment submitted by the 
claimant is a written affidavit or declaration subject to penalty of 
perjury by the employee, survivor or any other person, and DOE or 
another entity either disagrees with the assertion of covered 
employment or cannot concur or disagree with the assertion of covered 
employment, then OWCP will evaluate the probative value of the 
affidavit in conjunction with the other evidence of employment, and may 
determine that the claimant has not met his or her burden of proof 
under Sec.  30.111.

0
11. Amend Sec.  30.113 by revising paragraph (c) to read as follows:


Sec.  30.113   What are the requirements for written medical 
documentation, contemporaneous records, and other records or documents?

* * * * *
    (c) If a claimant submits a certified statement, by a person with 
knowledge of the facts, that the medical records containing a diagnosis 
and date of diagnosis of a covered medical condition no longer exist, 
then OWCP may consider other evidence to establish a diagnosis and date 
of diagnosis of a covered medical condition. However, OWCP will 
evaluate the probative value of such other evidence to determine 
whether it is sufficient proof of a covered medical condition.

0
12. Amend Sec.  30.114 as follows:
0
a. Revise paragraphs (b)(1) and (2);
0
b. Redesignate paragraph (b)(3) as paragraph (b)(4); and
0
c. Add new paragraph (b)(3).
    The revisions and addition read as follows:


Sec.  30.114   What kind of evidence is needed to establish a 
compensable medical condition and how will that evidence be evaluated?

* * * * *
    (b) * * *
    (1) For covered beryllium illnesses under Part B of EEOICPA, 
additional medical evidence, as set forth in Sec.  30.207, is required 
to establish a beryllium illness.
    (2) For chronic silicosis under Part B of EEOICPA, additional 
medical evidence, as set forth in Sec.  30.222, is required to 
establish chronic silicosis.
    (3) For covered illnesses under Part E of EEOICPA, additional 
medical evidence, as set forth in Sec.  30.232, is required to 
establish a covered illness.
    (i) For impairment benefits under Part E of EEOICPA, additional 
medical evidence, as set forth in Sec.  30.901, is required to 
establish an impairment that is the result of a covered illness 
referred to in Sec.  30.900.
    (ii) For wage-loss benefits under Part E of EEOICPA, additional 
medical evidence, as set forth in Sec.  30.806, is required to 
establish wage-loss that is the result of a covered illness referred to 
in Sec.  30.800.
* * * * *

0
13. Amend Sec.  30.115 by revising paragraphs (a) introductory text, 
(a)(2), and (b) to read as follows:


Sec.  30.115   For those radiogenic cancer claims that do not seek 
benefits under Part B of the Act pursuant to the Special Exposure 
Cohort provisions, what will OWCP do once it determines that an 
employee contracted cancer?

    (a) Other than claims seeking benefits under Part E of the Act that 
have previously been accepted under section 7384u of the Act or claims 
previously accepted under Part B pursuant to the Special Exposure 
Cohort provisions, OWCP will forward the claim package (including, but 
not limited to, Forms EE-1, EE-2, EE-3, EE-4 and EE-5, as appropriate) 
to NIOSH for dose reconstruction. At that point in time, development of 
the claim by OWCP may be suspended.
* * * * *
    (2) NIOSH will then reconstruct the radiation dose of the employee 
and provide the claimant and OWCP with the final dose reconstruction 
report. The final dose reconstruction record will be delivered to OWCP 
with the final dose reconstruction report and to the claimant upon 
request.
    (b) Following its receipt of the final dose reconstruction report 
from NIOSH, OWCP will resume its adjudication of the cancer claim and 
consider whether the claimant has met the eligibility criteria set 
forth in subpart C of this part. However, during the period before it 
receives a reconstructed dose from NIOSH, OWCP may continue to develop 
other aspects of a claim, to the extent that it deems such development 
to be appropriate.

0
14. Amend Sec.  30.205 by revising paragraphs (a)(1) and (a)(3)(i) to 
read as follows:


Sec.  30.205   What are the criteria for eligibility for benefits 
relating to beryllium illnesses covered under Part B of EEOICPA?

* * * * *
    (a) * * *
    (1) The employee is a ``current or former employee as defined in 5 
U.S.C. 8101(1)'' (see Sec.  30.5(u)) who may have been exposed to 
beryllium at a DOE facility or at a facility owned, operated or 
occupied by a beryllium vendor; or
* * * * *
    (3) * * *
    (i) Employed at a DOE facility (as defined in Sec.  30.5(y)); or
* * * * *

0
15. Amend Sec.  30.206 by revising paragraph (a) to read as follows:


Sec.  30.206   How does a claimant prove that the employee was a 
``covered beryllium employee'' exposed to beryllium dust, particles or 
vapor in the performance of duty?

    (a) Proof of employment or physical presence at a DOE facility, or 
a beryllium vendor facility as defined in Sec.  30.5(j), because of 
employment by the United States, a beryllium vendor, or a contractor or 
subcontractor of a beryllium vendor during a period when beryllium 
dust, particles or vapor may have been present at such facility, may be 
made by the submission of any trustworthy records that, on their face 
or in conjunction with other such records, establish that the employee 
was employed or present at a covered facility and the time period of 
such employment or presence.
* * * * *

0
16. Amend Sec.  30.207 as follows:
0
a. Revise paragraph (a);
0
b. Redesignate paragraph (d) as paragraph (e); and
0
c. Add new paragraph (d).
    The revision and addition read as follows:


Sec.  30.207   How does a claimant prove a diagnosis of a beryllium 
disease covered under Part B?

    (a) Written medical documentation is required in all cases to prove 
that the employee developed a covered beryllium illness. Proof that the 
employee developed a covered beryllium illness must be made by using 
the procedures outlined in paragraph (b), (c), (d) or (e) of this 
section.
* * * * *
    (d) OWCP will use the criteria in either paragraph (c)(1) or (2) of 
this

[[Page 3049]]

section to establish that the employee developed chronic beryllium 
disease as follows:
    (1) If the earliest dated medical evidence shows that the employee 
was either treated for, tested positive for, or diagnosed with a 
chronic respiratory disorder before January 1, 1993, the criteria set 
forth in paragraph (c)(2) of this section may be used;
    (2) If the earliest dated medical evidence shows that the employee 
was either treated for, tested positive for, or diagnosed with a 
chronic respiratory disorder on or after January 1, 1993, the criteria 
set forth in paragraph (c)(1) of this section must be used; and
    (3) If the employee was treated for a chronic respiratory disorder 
before January 1, 1993 and medical evidence verifies that such 
treatment was performed before January 1, 1993, but the medical 
evidence is dated on or after January 1, 1993, the criteria set forth 
in paragraph (c)(2) of this section may be used.
* * * * *

0
17. Amend Sec.  30.210 by revising paragraph (a)(1) to read as follows:


Sec.  30.210   What are the criteria for eligibility for benefits 
relating to radiogenic cancer?

    (a) * * *
    (1) The employee has been diagnosed with one of the forms of cancer 
specified in Sec.  30.5(gg); and
* * * * *

0
18. Revise Sec.  30.211 to read as follows:


Sec.  30.211   How does a claimant establish that the employee has or 
had contracted cancer?

    A claimant establishes that the employee has or had contracted a 
specified cancer (as defined in Sec.  30.5(gg)) or other cancer with 
medical evidence that sets forth an explicit diagnosis of cancer and 
the date on which that diagnosis was first made.

0
19. Amend Sec.  30.213 by revising paragraph (a) to read as follows:


Sec.  30.213   How does a claimant establish that the radiogenic cancer 
was at least as likely as not related to employment at the DOE 
facility, the atomic weapons employer facility, or the RECA section 5 
facility?

    (a) HHS, with the advice of the Advisory Board on Radiation and 
Worker Health, has issued regulatory guidelines at 42 CFR part 81 that 
OWCP uses to determine whether radiogenic cancers claimed under Parts B 
and E were at least as likely as not related to employment at a DOE 
facility, an atomic weapons employer facility, or a RECA section 5 
facility. Persons should consult HHS's regulations for information 
regarding the factual evidence that will be considered by OWCP, in 
addition to the employee's final dose reconstruction report that will 
be provided to OWCP by NIOSH, in making this particular factual 
determination.
* * * * *

0
20. Amend Sec.  30.220 by revising paragraph (a) to read as follows:


Sec.  30.220   What are the criteria for eligibility for benefits 
relating to chronic silicosis?

* * * * *
    (a) The employee is a civilian DOE employee, or a civilian DOE 
contractor employee, who was present for a number of workdays 
aggregating at least 250 workdays during the mining of tunnels at a DOE 
facility (as defined in Sec.  30.5(y)) located in Nevada or Alaska for 
tests or experiments related to an atomic weapon, and has been 
diagnosed with chronic silicosis (as defined in Sec.  30.5(k)); or
* * * * *

0
21. Amend Sec.  30.222 by revising paragraph (a) introductory text to 
read as follows:


Sec.  30.222   How does a claimant establish that the employee has been 
diagnosed with chronic silicosis or has sustained a consequential 
injury, illness, impairment or disease?

    (a) A written diagnosis of the employee's chronic silicosis (as 
defined in Sec.  30.5(k)) shall be made by a licensed physician and 
accompanied by one of the following:
* * * * *

0
22. Amend Sec.  30.230 by revising paragraphs (a) and (d)(1) 
introductory text to read as follows:


Sec.  30.230   What are the criteria necessary to establish that an 
employee contracted a covered illness under Part E of EEOICPA?

* * * * *
    (a) That OWCP has determined under Part B of EEOICPA that the 
employee is a DOE contractor employee as defined in Sec.  30.5(x), and 
that he or she has been awarded compensation under that Part of the Act 
for an occupational illness;
* * * * *
    (d)(1) That the employee is a civilian DOE contractor employee as 
defined in Sec.  30.5(x), or a civilian who was employed in a uranium 
mine or mill located in Colorado, New Mexico, Arizona, Wyoming, South 
Dakota, Washington, Utah, Idaho, North Dakota, Oregon or Texas at any 
time during the period from January 1, 1942 through December 31, 1971, 
or was employed in the transport of uranium ore or vanadium-uranium ore 
from such a mine or mill during that same period, and that he or she:
* * * * *

0
23. Amend Sec.  30.231 by revising paragraphs (a) and (b) to read as 
follows:


Sec.  30.231   How does a claimant prove employment-related exposure to 
a toxic substance at a DOE facility or a RECA section 5 facility?

* * * * *
    (a) Proof of employment may be established by any trustworthy 
records that, on their face or in conjunction with other such records, 
establish that the employee was so employed and the time period(s) of 
such employment. If the only evidence of covered employment submitted 
by the claimant is a written affidavit or declaration subject to 
penalty of perjury by the employee, survivor or any other person, and 
DOE or another entity either disagrees with the assertion of covered 
employment or cannot concur or disagree with the assertion of covered 
employment, then OWCP will evaluate the probative value of the 
affidavit in conjunction with the other evidence of employment, and may 
determine that the claimant has not met his or her burden of proof 
under Sec.  30.111.
    (b) For claimants who have established proof of employment, proof 
of exposure to a toxic substance may be established by the submission 
of any appropriate document or information that is evidence that such 
substance was present at the facility where the employee was employed 
and that the employee came into contact with such substance. 
Information from the following sources may be considered as probative 
factual evidence for purposes of establishing an employee's exposure to 
a toxic substance at a DOE facility or a RECA section 5 facility:
    (1) To the extent practicable and appropriate, from DOE, a DOE-
sponsored Former Worker Program, or an entity that acted as a 
contractor or subcontractor to DOE;
    (2) OWCP's Site Exposure Matrices; or
    (3) Any other entity deemed by OWCP to be a reliable source of 
information necessary to establish that the employee was exposed to a 
toxic substance at a DOE facility or RECA section 5 facility.

0
24. Amend Sec.  30.232 as follows:
0
a. Revise paragraphs (a)(1) and (2);
0
b. Remove paragraphs (a)(3) and (4) and (b); and
0
c. Redesignate paragraph (c) as paragraph (b) and revise newly 
designated paragraph (b).
    The revisions read as follows:

[[Page 3050]]

Sec.  30.232   How does a claimant establish that the employee has been 
diagnosed with a covered illness, or sustained an injury, illness, 
impairment or disease as a consequence of a covered illness?

    (a) * * *
    (1) Written medical evidence containing a physician's diagnosis of 
the employee's covered illness (as that term is defined in Sec.  
30.5(s)), and the physician's reasoning for his or her opinion 
regarding causation; and
    (2) Any other evidence OWCP may deem necessary to show that the 
employee has or had an illness that resulted from an exposure to a 
toxic substance while working at either a DOE facility or a RECA 
section 5 facility.
    (b) An injury, illness, impairment or disease sustained as a 
consequence of a covered illness (as defined in Sec.  30.5(s)) must be 
established with a fully rationalized medical report by a physician 
that shows the relationship between the injury, illness, impairment or 
disease and the covered illness. Neither the fact that the injury, 
illness, impairment or disease manifests itself after a diagnosis of a 
covered illness, nor the belief of the claimant that the injury, 
illness, impairment or disease was caused by the covered illness, is 
sufficient in itself to prove a causal relationship.

0
25. Add an undesignated center heading immediately preceding Sec.  
30.300 and revise Sec.  30.300 to read as follows:

General Provisions


Sec.  30.300   What administrative process will OWCP use to decide 
claims for entitlement, and how can claimants obtain judicial review of 
final decisions on their claims?

    OWCP district offices will issue recommended decisions with respect 
to most claims for entitlement under Part B and/or Part E of EEOICPA 
that are filed pursuant to the regulations set forth in subpart B of 
this part. In circumstances where a claim is made for more than one 
benefit available under Part B and/or Part E of the Act, OWCP may issue 
a recommended decision on only part of that particular claim in order 
to adjudicate that portion of the claim as quickly as possible. Should 
this occur, OWCP will issue one or more recommended decisions on the 
deferred portions of the claim when the adjudication of those portions 
is completed. All recommended decisions granting and/or denying claims 
for entitlement under Part B and/or Part E of the Act will be forwarded 
to the Final Adjudication Branch (FAB). Claimants will be given an 
opportunity to object to all or part of the recommended decision before 
the FAB. The FAB will consider objections filed by a claimant and 
conduct a hearing, if requested to do so by the claimant, before 
issuing a final decision on the claim for entitlement. Claimants may 
request judicial review of a final decision of FAB by filing an action 
in Federal district court.

0
26. Amend Sec.  30.301 by revising paragraph (b)(1) to read as follows:


Sec.  30.301   May subpoenas be issued for witnesses and documents in 
connection with a claim under Part B of EEOICPA?

* * * * *
    (b) * * *
    (1) Submit the request in writing and send it to the FAB reviewer 
as early as possible, but no later than 30 days (as evidenced by 
postmark or other carrier's date marking) after the date of the 
original hearing request;
* * * * *

0
27. Amend Sec.  30.305 by revising paragraph (a) to read as follows:


Sec.  30.305   How does OWCP determine entitlement to EEOICPA 
compensation?

    (a) In reaching a recommended decision with respect to EEOICPA 
compensation, OWCP considers the claim presented by the claimant, the 
factual and medical evidence of record, the dose reconstruction report 
prepared by NIOSH (if any), any report submitted by DOE and the results 
of such investigation as OWCP may deem necessary.
* * * * *

0
28. Revise Sec.  30.306 to read as follows:


Sec.  30.306   What does the recommended decision include?

    The recommended decision shall include a discussion of the district 
office's findings of fact and conclusions of law in support of the 
recommendation. The recommended decision may recommend acceptance or 
rejection of the claim in its entirety, or of a portion of the claim 
presented. It is accompanied by a notice of the claimant's right to 
file objections with, and request a hearing before, the FAB.


Sec.  30.307  [Redesignated as Sec.  30.308]

0
29a. Redesignate Sec.  30.307 as Sec.  30.308.

0
29b. Add new Sec.  30.307 to read as follows:


Sec.  30.307   Can one recommended decision address the entitlement of 
multiple claimants?

    (a) When multiple individuals have filed survivor claims under Part 
B and/or Part E of EEOICPA relating to the same deceased employee, the 
entitlement of all of those individuals shall be determined in the same 
recommended decision, except as described in paragraph (b) of this 
section.
    (b) If another individual subsequently files a survivor claim for 
the same award, the recommended decision on that claim will not address 
the entitlement of the earlier claimants if the district office 
recommended that the later survivor claim be denied.

0
30. Revise Sec.  30.310 to read as follows:


Sec.  30.310   What must the claimant do if he or she objects to the 
recommended decision or wants to request a hearing?

    (a) Within 60 days from the date the recommended decision is 
issued, the claimant must state, in writing, whether he or she objects 
to any of the findings of fact and/or conclusions of law discussed in 
such decision, including NIOSH's reconstruction of the radiation dose 
to which the employee was exposed (if any), and whether a hearing is 
desired. This written statement should be filed with the FAB at the 
address indicated in the notice accompanying the recommended decision.
    (b) For purposes of determining whether the written statement 
referred to in paragraph (a) of this section has been timely filed with 
the FAB, the statement will be considered to be ``filed'' on the date 
that the claimant mails it to the FAB, as determined by postmark or 
other carrier's date marking, or on the date that such written 
statement is actually received, whichever is the earliest determinable 
date.

0
31. Amend Sec.  30.313 by revising paragraph (c) to read as follows:


Sec.  30.313  How is a review of the written record conducted?

* * * * *
    (c) Any objection that is not presented to the FAB reviewer, 
including any objection to NIOSH's reconstruction of the radiation dose 
to which the employee was exposed (if any), whether or not the 
pertinent issue was previously presented to the district office, is 
deemed waived for all purposes.

0
32. Amend Sec.  30.314 by revising paragraphs (a) introductory text and 
(b) to read as follows:


Sec.  30.314   How is a hearing conducted?

    (a) The FAB reviewer retains complete discretion to set the time 
and place of the hearing, including the amount of time allotted for the 
hearing, considering the issues to be resolved. At the discretion of 
the reviewer, the hearing may be conducted by telephone, 
teleconference, videoconference or other electronic means. As part of 
the hearing

[[Page 3051]]

process, the FAB reviewer will consider the written record forwarded by 
the district office and any additional evidence and/or argument 
submitted by the claimant. The reviewer may also conduct whatever 
investigation is deemed necessary.
* * * * *
    (b) The FAB reviewer will mail a notice of the time and place of 
the hearing to the claimant and any representative at least 30 days 
before the scheduled hearing date. The FAB reviewer may mail a hearing 
notice less than 30 days prior to the hearing if the claimant and/or 
representative waives the above 30-day notice period in writing. If the 
claimant only objects to part of the recommended decision, the FAB 
reviewer may issue a final decision accepting the remaining part of the 
recommendation of the district office without first holding a hearing 
(see Sec.  30.316). Any objection that is not presented to the FAB 
reviewer, including any objection to NIOSH's reconstruction of the 
radiation dose to which the employee was exposed (if any), whether or 
not the pertinent issue was previously presented to the district 
office, is deemed waived for all purposes.
* * * * *

0
33. Amend Sec.  30.315 by revising paragraph (a) to read as follows:


Sec.  30.315  May a claimant postpone a hearing?

    (a) The FAB will entertain any reasonable request for scheduling 
the time and place of the hearing, but such requests should be made at 
the time that the hearing is requested. Scheduling is at the discretion 
of the FAB, and is not reviewable. In most instances, once the hearing 
has been scheduled and appropriate written notice has been mailed, it 
cannot be postponed at the claimant's request for any reason except 
those stated in paragraph (b) of this section, unless the FAB reviewer 
can reschedule the hearing on the same docket (that is, during the same 
hearing trip). If a request to postpone a scheduled hearing does not 
meet one of the tests of paragraph (b) of this section and cannot be 
accommodated on the same docket, or if the claimant and/or 
representative cancels or fails to attend a scheduled hearing, no 
further opportunity for a hearing will be provided. Instead, the FAB 
will consider the claimant's objections by means of a review of the 
written record. In the alternative, a teleconference may be substituted 
for the hearing at the discretion of the reviewer.
* * * * *

0
34. Revise Sec.  30.318 to read as follows:


Sec.  30.318  How will FAB consider objections to NIOSH's 
reconstruction of a radiation dose, or to OWCP's calculation of the 
recommended probability of causation, in a Part B claim for radiogenic 
cancer?

    (a) If the claimant objects to NIOSH's reconstruction of the 
radiation dose to which the employee was exposed, either in writing or 
at the oral hearing, the FAB reviewer has the discretion to consult 
with NIOSH as part of his or her consideration of any objection. 
However, the HHS dose reconstruction regulation, which provides 
guidance for the technical methods developed and used by NIOSH to 
provide a reasonable estimate of the radiation dose received by an 
employee, is binding on FAB. Should this consultation take place, the 
FAB reviewer will properly document it in the case. Whether or not 
NIOSH is consulted, and as provided for in Sec.  30.317, the FAB 
reviewer may decide to return the case to the district office for 
referral to NIOSH for such further action as may be appropriate.
    (b) If the claimant objects to OWCP's calculation of the 
recommended probability of causation in a Part B radiogenic cancer 
claim, the FAB reviewer has the discretion to consider if OWCP used 
incorrect factual information when it performed this calculation. 
However, the statute requires that OWCP use a particular methodology, 
established by regulations issued by HHS at 42 CFR part 81, when it 
calculates the recommended probability of causation.

0
35. Amend Sec.  30.319 by revising paragraph (b) to read as follows:


Sec.  30.319  May a claimant request reconsideration of a final 
decision of the FAB?

* * * * *
    (b) For purposes of determining whether the written request 
referred to in paragraph (a) of this section has been timely filed with 
the FAB, the request will be considered to be ``filed'' on the date 
that the claimant mails it to the FAB, as determined by postmark or 
other carrier's date marking, or on the date that such written request 
is actually received, whichever is the earliest determinable date.
* * * * *

0
36. Amend Sec.  30.320 by revising paragraph (b) to read as follows:


Sec.  30.320  Can a claim be reopened after the FAB has issued a final 
decision?

* * * * *
    (b) At any time after the FAB has issued a final decision pursuant 
to Sec.  30.316, a claimant may file a written request that the 
Director for Energy Employees Occupational Illness Compensation reopen 
his or her claim, provided that the claimant also submits new evidence 
of a diagnosed medical condition, covered employment, or exposure to a 
toxic substance. A written request to reopen a claim may also be 
supported by identifying either a change in the PoC guidelines, a 
change in the dose reconstruction methods or an addition of a class of 
employees to the Special Exposure Cohort. If the Director concludes 
that the evidence submitted or matter identified in support of the 
claimant's request is material to the claim, the Director will reopen 
the claim and return it to the district office for such further 
development as may be necessary, to be followed by a new recommended 
decision.
* * * * *

0
37. Amend Sec.  30.400 by revising paragraphs (a) and (c) and adding 
paragraph (d) to read as follows:


Sec.  30.400  What are the basic rules for obtaining medical treatment?

    (a) A covered Part B employee or a covered Part E employee who fits 
into at least one of the compensable claim categories described in 
subpart C of this part is entitled to receive all medical services, 
appliances or supplies that a qualified physician prescribes or 
recommends and that OWCP considers necessary to treat his or her 
occupational illness or covered illness, retroactive to the date the 
claim for benefits for that occupational illness or covered illness 
under Part B or Part E of EEOICPA was filed. The employee need not be 
disabled to receive such treatment. If there is any doubt as to whether 
a specific service, appliance or supply is necessary to treat the 
occupational illness or covered illness, the employee should consult 
OWCP prior to obtaining it through the automated authorization process 
described in Sec.  30.700. In situations where the occupational illness 
or covered illness is a secondary cancer, such treatment may include 
treatment of the underlying primary cancer when it is medically 
necessary or related to treatment of the secondary cancer; however, 
payment for medical treatment of the underlying primary cancer under 
these circumstances does not constitute a determination by OWCP that 
the primary cancer is a covered illness under Part E of EEOICPA.
* * * * *
    (c) Any qualified physician may provide medical services, 
appliances and supplies to the covered Part B employee or the covered 
Part E

[[Page 3052]]

employee. A hospital or a provider of medical services or supplies may 
furnish appropriate services, drugs, supplies and appliances, so long 
as such provider possesses all applicable licenses required under State 
law and has not been excluded from participation in the program under 
subpart H of this part. OWCP may apply a test of cost-effectiveness 
when it decides if appliances and supplies are necessary to treat an 
occupational illness or covered illness, may offset the cost of prior 
rental payments against a future purchase price, and may provide 
refurbished appliances where appropriate. Also, OWCP may authorize 
payment for durable medical equipment and modifications to a home or 
vehicle, to the extent that OWCP deems it necessary and reasonable. 
With respect to prescribed medications, OWCP may require the use of 
generic equivalents where they are available. OWCP may contract with a 
specific provider or providers to supply non-physician medical services 
or supplies.
    (d) In circumstances when a covered employee dies after filing a 
claim but before such claim is accepted, OWCP will pay for medical 
treatment for all accepted illnesses, retroactive to the date that the 
employee filed the claim, if the deceased employee's survivor(s) files 
a claim that is accepted under Part B and/or Part E of EEOICPA. If this 
occurs, OWCP shall only pay either the provider(s) or the employee's 
estate for medical treatment that the employee obtained after filing 
his or her claim.

0
38. Revise Sec.  30.403 to read as follows:


Sec.  30.403   Will OWCP pay for home health care, nursing home, and 
assisted living services?

    (a) OWCP will authorize and pay for home health care claimed under 
section 7384t of the Act, whether or not such care constitutes skilled 
nursing care, so long as the care has been determined to be medically 
necessary. OWCP will pay for approved periods of care by a registered 
nurse, licensed practical nurse, home health aide or similarly trained 
individual, subject to the pre-authorization requirements described in 
paragraph (c) of this section.
    (b) OWCP will also authorize and pay for periods of nursing home 
and assisted living services claimed under section 7384t of the Act, so 
long as such services have been determined to be medically necessary, 
subject to the pre-authorization requirements described in paragraph 
(c) of this section.
    (c) To file an initial claim for home health care, nursing home, or 
assisted living services, the beneficiary must submit Form EE-17A to 
OWCP and identify his or her treating physician. OWCP then provides the 
treating physician with Form EE-17B, which asks the physician to submit 
a letter of medical necessity and verify that a timely face-to-face 
physical examination of the beneficiary took place. This particular 
pre-authorization process must be followed only for the initial claim 
for home health care, nursing home, and assisted living services; any 
subsequent request for pre-authorization must satisfy OWCP's usual 
medical necessity requirements. If a claimant disagrees with the 
decision of OWCP that the claimed services are not medically necessary, 
he or she may utilize the adjudicatory process described in subpart D 
of this part.

0
39. Amend Sec.  30.405 by revising paragraphs (b) and (c) to read as 
follows:


Sec.  30.405  After selecting a treating physician, may an employee 
choose to be treated by another physician instead?

* * * * *
    (b) OWCP will approve the request if it determines that the reasons 
submitted are credible and supported by probative factual and/or 
medical evidence, as appropriate. Requests that are often approved 
include those for transfer of care from a general practitioner to a 
physician who specializes in treating the occupational illnesses or 
covered illnesses covered by EEOICPA, or the need for a new physician 
when an employee has moved.
    (c) OWCP may deny a requested change of physician if it determines 
that the reasons submitted are not both credible and supported by 
probative evidence. If a claimant disagrees with such an informal 
denial, he or she may utilize the adjudicatory process described in 
subpart D of this part.

0
40. Amend Sec.  30.410 by adding paragraph (c) to read as follows:


Sec.  30.410  Can OWCP require an employee to be examined by another 
physician?

* * * * *
    (c) OWCP may administratively close the claim and suspend 
adjudication of any pending matters if the employee refuses to attend a 
second opinion examination.

0
41. Amend Sec.  30.411 by adding paragraph (d) to read as follows:


Sec.  30.411  What happens if the opinion of the physician selected by 
OWCP differs from the opinion of the physician selected by the 
employee?

* * * * *
    (d) OWCP may administratively close the claim and suspend 
adjudication of any pending matters if the employee refuses to attend a 
referee medical examination.

0
42. Amend Sec.  30.416 by revising paragraph (a) to read as follows:


Sec.  30.416   How and when should medical reports be submitted?

    (a) The initial medical report (and any subsequent reports) should 
be made in narrative form on the physician's letterhead stationery. The 
physician should use the Form EE-7 as a guide for the preparation of 
his or her initial medical report in support of a claim under Part B 
and/or Part E of EEOICPA. The report should bear the physician's 
handwritten or electronic signature. OWCP may require an original 
signature on the report.
* * * * *

0
43. Amend Sec.  30.500 by revising paragraph (a)(2) and adding 
paragraph (c) to read as follows:


Sec.  30.500   What special statutory definitions apply to survivors 
under EEOICPA?

    (a) * * *
    (2) Child of a deceased covered Part B employee or deceased covered 
Part E employee means only a biological child, a stepchild or an 
adopted child of that individual.
* * * * *
    (c) For the purposes of paying compensation to survivors under Part 
E of EEOICPA, OWCP will use the following additional definitions:
    (1) Covered child means a child that is, as of the date of the 
deceased covered Part E employee's death, either under the age of 18 
years, or under the age of 23 years and a full-time student who was 
continuously enrolled in one or more educational institutions since 
attaining the age of 18 years, or any age and incapable of self-
support. A child's marital status or dependency on the covered employee 
for support is irrelevant to his or her eligibility for benefits as a 
covered child under Part E.
    (2) Incapable of self-support means that the child must have been 
physically and/or mentally incapable of self-support at the time of the 
covered employee's death.

0
44. Amend Sec.  30.501 by revising paragraphs (a) introductory text and 
(b) introductory text to read as follows:


Sec.  30.501  What order of precedence will OWCP use to determine which 
survivors are entitled to receive compensation under EEOICPA?

    (a) Under Part B of the Act, if OWCP determines that a survivor or 
survivors are entitled to receive compensation under EEOICPA because a 
covered Part B employee who would otherwise have been entitled to 
benefits is deceased, that compensation will be disbursed as

[[Page 3053]]

follows, subject to the qualifications set forth in Sec.  30.5(hh)(3):
* * * * *
    (b) Under Part E of the Act, if OWCP determines that a survivor or 
survivors are entitled to receive compensation under EEOICPA because a 
covered Part E employee who would otherwise have been entitled to 
benefits is deceased, that compensation will be disbursed as follows, 
subject to the qualifications set forth in Sec.  30.5(hh)(3):
* * * * *

0
45. Revise Sec.  30.502 to read as follows:


Sec.  30.502   When is entitlement for survivors determined for 
purposes of EEOICPA?

    Entitlement to any lump-sum payment for survivors under the 
EEOICPA, other than for ``covered'' children under Part E, will be 
determined as of the time OWCP makes such a payment. As noted in Sec.  
30.500(c)(1), a child of a deceased Part E employee will only qualify 
as a ``covered'' child of that individual if he or she satisfied one of 
the additional statutory criteria for a ``covered'' child as of the 
date of the deceased Part E employee's death.

0
46. Amend Sec.  30.509 by revising paragraph (c) to read as follows:


Sec.  30.509   Under what circumstances may a survivor claiming under 
Part E of the Act choose to receive the benefits that would otherwise 
be payable to a covered Part E employee who is deceased?

* * * * *
    (c) OWCP only makes impairment determinations based on rationalized 
medical evidence in the case file that is sufficiently detailed and 
meets the various requirements for the many different types of 
impairment determinations possible under the American Medical 
Association's Guides to the Evaluation of Permanent Impairment (AMA's 
Guides). Therefore, OWCP will only make an impairment determination for 
a deceased covered Part E employee pursuant to this section if the 
medical evidence of record is sufficient to satisfy the pertinent 
requirements in the AMA's Guides and subpart J of this part.

0
47. Amend Sec.  30.600 by revising paragraph (c)(2) to read as follows:


Sec.  30.600   May a claimant designate a representative?

* * * * *
    (c) * * *
    (2) A representative does not have authority to sign the Form EE-1 
(described in Sec.  30.100(a)) or the Form EE-2 (described in Sec.  
30.101(a)) for his or her client. A representative also does not have 
authority to sign the Form EN-20 (described in Sec.  30.505(c)) for his 
or her client

0
48. Amend Sec.  30.601 by revising the introductory text to read as 
follows:


Sec.  30.601   Who may serve as a representative?

    A claimant may authorize any individual to represent him or her in 
regard to a claim under EEOICPA, unless that individual's service as a 
representative would violate any applicable provision of law (such as 
18 U.S.C. 205 and 208) or the standards regarding conflicts of interest 
adopted by OWCP. Under those standards, authorized representatives are 
prohibited from having private, non-representational financial 
interests with respect to their client's EEOICPA claims. This does not 
include their fee for serving as a representative. A Federal employee 
may act as a representative only:
* * * * *

0
49. Amend Sec.  30.603 by revising paragraph (a) to read as follows:


Sec.  30.603   Are there any limitations on what the representative may 
charge the claimant for his or her services?

    (a) Notwithstanding any contract, the representative may not 
receive, for services rendered in connection with a claim pending 
before OWCP, more than the percentages of the lump-sum payment made to 
the claimant set out in paragraph (b) of this section, exclusive of 
costs and expenses.
* * * * *

0
50. Amend Sec.  30.617 by revising paragraph (b)(2) to read as follows:


Sec.  30.617   What happens if this type of tort suit was filed during 
the period from October 30, 2000 through December 28, 2001?

* * * * *
    (b) * * *
    (2) The date that is 30 months after the date the claimant or 
claimants first became aware that an illness of the covered Part B 
employee may be connected to his or her exposure to beryllium or 
radiation covered by EEOICPA. For purposes of determining when this 30-
month period begins, ``the date the claimant or claimants first became 
aware'' will be deemed to be the date they received either a 
reconstructed dose from NIOSH, or a diagnosis of a covered beryllium 
illness, as applicable.

0
51. Amend Sec.  30.618 by revising paragraph (c)(2) to read as follows:


Sec.  30.618   What happens if this type of tort suit was filed after 
December 28, 2001?

* * * * *
    (c) * * *
    (2) The date that is 30 months after the date the claimant or 
claimants first became aware that an illness of the covered Part B 
employee may be connected to his or her exposure to beryllium or 
radiation covered by EEOICPA. For purposes of determining when this 30-
month period begins, ``the date the claimant or claimants first became 
aware'' will be deemed to be the date they received either a 
reconstructed dose from NIOSH, or a diagnosis of a covered beryllium 
illness, as applicable.

0
52. Revise Sec. Sec.  30.700 through 30.702 to read as follows:


Sec.  30.700   In general, what responsibilities do providers have with 
respect to enrolling with OWCP, seeking authorization to provide 
services, billing, and retaining medical records?

    (a) All providers must enroll with OWCP or its designated bill 
processing agent (hereinafter OWCP in this subpart) to have access to 
the automated authorization system and to submit medical bills to OWCP. 
To enroll, the provider must complete and submit a Form OWCP-1168 to 
the appropriate location noted on that form. By completing and 
submitting this form, providers certify that they satisfy all 
applicable Federal and state licensure and regulatory requirements that 
apply to their specific provider or supplier type. The provider must 
maintain documentary evidence indicating that it satisfies those 
requirements. The provider is also required to notify OWCP immediately 
if any information provided to OWCP in the enrollment process changes. 
Federal government medical officers, private physicians and hospitals 
are also required to keep records of all cases treated by them under 
EEOICPA so they can supply OWCP with a history of the claimed 
occupational illness or covered illness, a description of the nature 
and extent of the claimed occupational illness or covered illness, the 
results of any diagnostic studies performed and the nature of the 
treatment rendered. This requirement terminates after a provider has 
supplied OWCP with the above-noted information, and otherwise 
terminates ten years after the record was created.
    (b) Where a medical provider intends to bill for a procedure where 
prior authorization is required, authorization must be requested from 
OWCP.
    (c) After enrollment, a provider must submit all medical bills to 
OWCP through its bill processing portal and include the Provider 
Number/ID obtained through enrollment or other identifying number 
required by OWCP.

[[Page 3054]]

Sec.  30.701   How are medical bills to be submitted?

    (a) All charges for medical and surgical treatment, appliances or 
supplies furnished to employees, except for treatment and supplies 
provided by nursing homes, shall be supported by medical evidence as 
provided in Sec.  30.700. OWCP may withhold payment for services until 
such report or evidence is provided. The physician or provider shall 
itemize the charges on Form OWCP-1500 or CMS-1500 (for professional 
charges or medicinal drugs dispensed in the office), Form OWCP-04 or 
UB-04 (for hospitals), an electronic or paper-based bill that includes 
required data elements (for pharmacies) or other form as warranted, and 
submit the form or bill promptly to OWCP.
    (b) The provider shall identify each service performed using the 
Physician's Current Procedural Terminology (CPT) code, the Healthcare 
Common Procedure Coding System (HCPCS) code, the National Drug Code 
(NDC) number, or the Revenue Center Code (RCC), with a brief narrative 
description. OWCP has discretion to determine which of these codes may 
be utilized in the billing process. OWCP also has the authority to 
create and supply specific procedure codes that will be used by OWCP to 
better describe and allow specific payments for special services. These 
OWCP-created codes will be issued to providers by OWCP as appropriate 
and may only be used as authorized by OWCP. For example, a physician 
conducting a referee or second opinion examination as described in 
Sec. Sec.  30.410 through 30.412 will be furnished an OWCP-created 
code. A provider may not use an OWCP-created code for other types of 
medical examinations or services. When no code is submitted to identify 
the services performed, the bill will be returned to the provider and/
or denied.
    (c) For professional charges billed on Form OWCP-1500 or CMS-1500, 
the provider shall also state each diagnosed condition and furnish the 
corresponding diagnostic code using the ``International Classification 
of Disease, 9th Edition, Clinical Modification'' (ICD-9-CM), or as 
revised. A separate bill shall be submitted when the employee is 
discharged from treatment or monthly, if treatment for the occupational 
illness or covered illness is necessary for more than 30 days.
    (1)(i) Hospitals shall submit charges for both inpatient and 
outpatient medical and surgical treatment or supplies promptly to OWCP 
on Form OWCP-04 or UB-04.
    (ii) OWCP may adopt a Home Health Prospective Payment System 
(HHPPS), as developed and implemented by the Centers for Medicare and 
Medicaid Services (CMS) within HHS for Medicare, while modifying the 
allowable costs under Medicare to account for deductibles and other 
additional costs that are covered by EEOICPA. If adopted, home health 
care providers will be required to submit bills on Form OWCP-04 or UB-
04 and to use Health Insurance Prospective Payment System codes and 
other coding schemes.
    (2) Pharmacies shall itemize charges for prescription medications, 
appliances or supplies on electronic or paper-based bills and submit 
them promptly to OWCP. Bills for prescription medications must include 
all required data elements, including the NDC number assigned to the 
product, the generic or trade name of the drug provided, the 
prescription number, the quantity provided, and the date the 
prescription was filled.
    (3) Nursing homes shall itemize charges for appliances, supplies or 
services on the provider's billhead stationery and submit them promptly 
to OWCP. Such charges shall be subject to any applicable OWCP fee 
schedule.
    (d) By submitting a bill and/or accepting payment, the provider 
signifies that the service for which payment is sought was performed as 
described and was necessary, appropriate and properly billed in 
accordance with accepted industry standards. For example, accepted 
industry standards preclude upcoding billed services for extended 
medical appointments when the employee actually had a brief routine 
appointment, or charging for the services of a professional when a 
paraprofessional or aide performed the service. Also, industry 
standards prohibit unbundling services to charge separately for 
services that should be billed as a single charge. In addition, the 
provider thereby agrees to comply with all regulations set forth in 
this subpart concerning the rendering of treatment and/or the process 
for seeking payment for medical services, including the limitation 
imposed on the amount to be paid for such services.
    (e) In summary, bills submitted by providers must: Be itemized on 
Form OWCP-1500 or CMS-1500 (for physicians), Form OWCP-04 or UB-04 (for 
hospitals), or an electronic or paper-based bill that includes required 
data elements (for pharmacies); contain the handwritten or electronic 
signature of the provider when required; and identify the procedures 
using HCPCS/CPT codes, RCCs or NDC numbers. Otherwise, OWCP may deny 
the bill, and the provider must correct and resubmit the bill. The 
decision of OWCP whether to pay a provider's bill is final when issued 
and is not subject to the adjudicatory process described in subpart D 
of this part.


Sec.  30.702   How should an employee prepare and submit requests for 
reimbursement for medical expenses, transportation costs, loss of 
wages, and incidental expenses?

    (a) If an employee has paid bills for medical, surgical or other 
services, supplies or appliances provided by a professional due to an 
occupational illness or a covered illness, he or she must submit a 
request for reimbursement on Form OWCP-915, together with an itemized 
bill on Form OWCP-1500 or CMS-1500 prepared by the provider, or Form 
OWCP-04 or UB-04 prepared by the provider, and a medical report as 
provided in Sec.  30.700, to OWCP for consideration.
    (1) The provider of such service shall state each diagnosed 
condition and furnish the applicable ICD-9-CM code, or as revised, and 
identify each service performed using the applicable HCPCS/CPT code, 
with a brief narrative description of the service performed, or, where 
no code is applicable, a detailed description of that service. If no 
code or description is received, OWCP will deny the reimbursement 
request, and correction and resubmission will be required.
    (2) The reimbursement request must be accompanied by evidence that 
the provider received payment for the service from the employee and a 
statement of the amount paid. Acceptable evidence that payment was 
received includes, but is not limited to, a signed statement by the 
provider, a mechanical stamp or other device showing receipt of 
payment, a copy of the employee's canceled check (both front and back), 
a copy of the employee's credit card receipt or a provider billing form 
indicating a zero balance due.
    (b) If a pharmacy or nursing home provided services for which the 
employee paid, the employee must also use Form OWCP-915 to request 
reimbursement and should submit the request in accordance with the 
provisions of Sec.  30.701(a). Any such request for reimbursement must 
be accompanied by evidence, as described in paragraph (a)(2) of this 
section, that the provider received payment for the service from the 
employee and a statement of the amount paid.
    (c) OWCP may waive the requirements of paragraphs (a) and (b) of

[[Page 3055]]

this section if extensive delays in the filing or the adjudication of a 
claim make it unusually difficult for the employee to obtain the 
required information.
    (d) Copies of bills submitted for reimbursement must bear the 
handwritten or electronic signature of the provider when required, with 
evidence of payment. Payment for medical and surgical treatment, 
appliances or supplies shall in general be no greater than the maximum 
allowable charge for such service determined by OWCP, as set forth in 
Sec.  30.705. OWCP will issue a letter decision on whether to reimburse 
an employee for out-of-pocket medical expenses, and the amount of any 
reimbursement. A claimant who disagrees with OWCP's letter decision may 
request a formal recommended decision and utilize the adjudicatory 
process described in subpart D of this part.
    (e) An employee will be only partially reimbursed for a medical 
expense if the amount he or she paid to a provider for the service 
exceeds the maximum allowable charge set by OWCP's schedule. If this 
happens, OWCP shall advise the employee of the maximum allowable charge 
for the service in question and of his or her responsibility to ask the 
provider to refund to the employee, or credit to the employee's 
account, the amount he or she paid which exceeds the maximum allowable 
charge. The provider that the employee paid, but not the employee, may 
request reconsideration of the fee determination as set forth in Sec.  
30.712.
    (f) If the provider fails to make appropriate refund to the 
employee, or to credit the employee's account, within 60 days after the 
employee requests a refund of any excess amount, or the date of a 
subsequent reconsideration decision which continues to disallow all or 
a portion of the disputed amount, OWCP will initiate exclusion 
procedures as provided by Sec.  30.715.
    (g) If the provider does not refund to the employee or credit to 
his or her account the amount of money paid in excess of the charge 
which OWCP allows, the employee should submit documentation of the 
attempt to obtain such refund or credit to OWCP. OWCP may authorize 
reasonable reimbursement to the employee after reviewing the facts and 
circumstances of the case.

0
53. Revise Sec. Sec.  30.705 through 30.707 to read as follows:


Sec.  30.705   What services are covered by the OWCP fee schedule?

    (a) Payment for medical and other health services, devices and 
supplies furnished by physicians, hospitals and other providers for 
occupational illnesses or covered illnesses shall not exceed a maximum 
allowable charge for such service as determined by OWCP, except as 
provided in this section.
    (b) The schedule of maximum allowable charges does not apply to 
charges for services provided in nursing homes, but it does apply to 
charges for treatment furnished in a nursing home by a physician or 
other medical professional. In the future, OWCP may also decide to 
implement a fee schedule for services provided in nursing homes.
    (c) The schedule of maximum allowable charges also does not apply 
to charges for appliances, supplies, services or treatment furnished by 
medical facilities of the U.S. Public Health Service or the Departments 
of the Army, Navy, Air Force and Veterans Affairs.



Sec.  30.706  How are the maximum fees for professional medical 
services defined?

    For professional medical services, OWCP shall maintain a schedule 
of maximum allowable fees for procedures performed in a given locality. 
The schedule shall consist of: An assignment of a Relative Value Unit 
(RVU) to procedures identified by HCPCS/CPT code which represents the 
relative skill, effort, risk and time required to perform the 
procedure, as compared to other procedures of the same general class; 
an assignment of Geographic Practice Cost Index (GPCI) values which 
represent the relative work, practice expenses and malpractice expenses 
relative to other localities throughout the country; and a monetary 
value assignment (conversion factor) for one unit of value for each 
coded service.


Sec.  30.707  How are payments to providers calculated?

    Payment for a procedure, service or device identified by a HCPCS/
CPT code shall not exceed the amount derived by multiplying the RVU 
values for that procedure by the GPCI values for services in that area 
and by the conversion factor to arrive at a dollar amount assigned to 
one unit in that category of service.
    (a) The ``locality'' which serves as a basis for the determination 
of cost is defined by the Bureau of Census Metropolitan Statistical 
Areas. OWCP shall base the determination of the relative per capita 
cost of medical care in a locality using information about enrollment 
and medical cost per county, provided by CMS.
    (b) OWCP shall assign the RVUs published by CMS to all services for 
which CMS has made assignments, using the most recent revision. Where 
there are no RVUs assigned to a procedure, OWCP may develop and assign 
any RVUs it considers appropriate. The geographic adjustment factor 
shall be that designated by GPCI values for Metropolitan Statistical 
Areas as devised for CMS and as updated or revised by CMS from time to 
time. OWCP will devise conversion factors for each category of service 
as appropriate using OWCP's processing experience and internal data.
    (c) For example, if the RVUs for a particular surgical procedure 
are 2.48 for physician's work (W), 3.63 for practice expense (PE), and 
0.48 for malpractice insurance (M), and the conversion factor assigned 
to one unit in that category of service (surgery) is $61.20, then the 
maximum allowable charge for one performance of that procedure is the 
product of the three RVUs times the corresponding GPCI values for the 
locality times the conversion factor. If the GPCI values for the 
locality are 0.988(W), 0.948 (PE), and 1.174 (M), then the maximum 
payment calculation is:

[(2.48)(0.988) + (3.63)(0.948) + (0.48)(1.174)] x $61.20
[2.45 + 3.44 + .56] x $61.20
6.45 x $61.20 = $394.74

0
54. Revise Sec. Sec.  30.709 and 30.710 to read as follows:


Sec.  30.709   How are payments for medicinal drugs determined?

    Unless otherwise specified by OWCP, payment for medicinal drugs 
prescribed by physicians shall not exceed the amount derived by 
multiplying the average wholesale price of the medication by the 
quantity or amount provided, plus a dispensing fee. OWCP may, in its 
discretion, contract for or require the use of specific providers for 
certain medications.
    (a) All prescription medications identified by NDC number will be 
assigned an average wholesale price representing the product's 
nationally recognized wholesale price as determined by surveys of 
manufacturers and wholesalers. OWCP will establish the dispensing fee, 
which will not be affected by the location or type of provider 
dispensing the medication.
    (b) The NDC numbers, the average wholesale prices, and the 
dispensing fee shall be reviewed from time to time and updated as 
necessary.
    (c) With respect to prescribed medications, OWCP may require the 
use

[[Page 3056]]

of generic equivalents where they are available.


Sec.  30.710   How are payments for inpatient medical services 
determined?

    (a) OWCP will pay for inpatient medical services according to pre-
determined, condition-specific rates based on the Inpatient Prospective 
Payment System (IPPS) devised by CMS. Using this system, payment is 
derived by multiplying the diagnosis-related group (DRG) weight 
assigned to the hospital discharge by the provider-specific factors.
    (1) All inpatient hospital discharges will be classified according 
to the DRGs prescribed by CMS in the form of the DRG Grouper software 
program. On this list, each DRG represents the average resources 
necessary to provide care in a case in that DRG relative to the 
national average of resources consumed per case.
    (2) The provider-specific factors will be provided by CMS in the 
form of their IPPS Pricer software program. The software takes into 
consideration the type of facility, census division, actual geographic 
location of the hospital, case mix cost per discharge, number of 
hospital beds, intern/beds ratio, operating cost to charge ratio, and 
other factors used by CMS to determine the specific rate for a hospital 
discharge under their IPPS. OWCP may devise price adjustment factors as 
appropriate using OWCP's processing experience and internal data.
    (3) OWCP will base payments to facilities excluded from CMS's IPPS 
on consideration of detailed medical reports and other evidence.
    (4) OWCP shall review the pre-determined hospital rates at least 
once a year, and may adjust any or all components when OWCP deems it 
necessary or appropriate.
    (b) OWCP shall review the schedule of fees at least once a year, 
and may adjust the schedule or any of its components when OWCP deems it 
necessary or appropriate.


Sec.  Sec.  30.711 through 30.713   [Redesignated as Sec. Sec.  30.712 
through 30.714]

0
55a. Redesignate Sec. Sec.  30.711 through 30.713 as Sec. Sec.  30.712 
through 30.714.

0
55b. Add new Sec.  30.711 to read as follows:


Sec.  30.711   How are payments for outpatient medical services 
determined?

    (a) OWCP will pay for outpatient medical services according to 
Ambulatory Payment Classifications (APC) based on the Outpatient 
Prospective Payment System devised by CMS.
    (b) All outpatient medical services will be classified according to 
the APC prescribed by CMS for that service in the form of the 
Outpatient Prospective Payment System Grouper software program. Each 
payment is derived by multiplying the prospectively established scaled 
relative weight for the service's clinical APC by a conversion factor 
to arrive at a national unadjusted payment rate for the APC. The labor 
portion of the national unadjusted payment rate is further adjusted by 
the hospital wage index for the area where payment is being made.
    (c) If a payable service has no assigned APC, the payment will be 
derived from the OWCP Medical Fee Schedule.
    (d) OWCP shall review the pre-determined outpatient hospital rates 
at least once a year, and may adjust any or all components when OWCP 
deems it necessary or appropriate.

0
55c. Revise newly redesignated Sec. Sec.  30.712 and 30.713 to read as 
follows:


Sec.  30.712   When and how are fees reduced?

    (a) OWCP shall accept a provider's designation of the code to 
identify a billed procedure or service if the code is consistent with 
medical reports and other evidence, and will pay no more than the 
maximum allowable fee for that procedure. If the code is not consistent 
with the medical and other evidence or where no code is supplied, the 
bill will be returned to the provider for correction and resubmission.
    (b) If the charge submitted for a service supplied to an employee 
exceeds the maximum amount determined to be reasonable according to the 
schedule, OWCP shall pay the amount allowed by the schedule for that 
service and shall notify the provider in writing that payment was 
reduced for that service in accordance with the schedule. OWCP shall 
also notify the provider of the method for requesting reconsideration 
of the balance of the charge. The decision of OWCP to pay less than the 
charged amount is final when issued and is not subject to the 
adjudicatory process described in subpart D of this part.


Sec.  30.713   If OWCP reduces a fee, may a provider request 
reconsideration of the reduction?

    (a) A physician or other provider whose charge for service is only 
partially paid because it exceeds a maximum allowable amount set by 
OWCP may, within 30 days, request reconsideration of the fee 
determination.
    (1) The provider should make such a request to the district office 
with jurisdiction over the employee's claim. The request must be 
accompanied by documentary evidence that the procedure performed was 
either incorrectly identified by the original code, that the presence 
of a severe or concomitant medical condition made treatment especially 
difficult, or that the provider possessed unusual qualifications. In 
itself, board certification in a specialty is not sufficient evidence 
of unusual qualifications to justify a charge in excess of the maximum 
allowable amount set by OWCP. These are the only three circumstances 
that will justify reevaluation of the paid amount.
    (2) A list of district offices and their respective areas of 
jurisdiction is available upon request from the U.S. Department of 
Labor, Office of Workers' Compensation Programs, Washington, DC 20210, 
or at http://www.dol.gov/owcp/energy/index.htm. Within 30 days of 
receiving the request for reconsideration, the district office shall 
respond in writing stating whether or not an additional amount will be 
allowed as reasonable, considering the evidence submitted.
    (b) If the district office issues a decision that continues to 
disallow a contested amount, the provider may apply to the Regional 
Director of the region with jurisdiction over the district office. The 
application must be filed within 30 days of the date of such decision, 
and it may be accompanied by additional evidence. Within 60 days of 
receipt of such application, the Regional Director shall issue a 
decision in writing stating whether or not an additional amount will be 
allowed as reasonable, considering the evidence submitted. This 
decision is final, and shall not be subject to further review.

0
56. Revise Sec.  30.715 to read as follows:


Sec.  30.715   What are the grounds for excluding a provider from 
payment under this part?

    A physician, hospital, or provider of medical services or supplies 
shall be excluded from payment under this part if such physician, 
hospital or provider has:
    (a) Been convicted under any criminal statute of fraudulent 
activities in connection with any Federal or state program for which 
payments are made to providers for similar medical, surgical or 
hospital services, appliances or supplies;
    (b) Been excluded or suspended, or has resigned in lieu of 
exclusion or suspension, from participation in any Federal or state 
program referred to in paragraph (a) of this section;
    (c) Knowingly made, or caused to be made, any false statement or 
misrepresentation of a material fact in

[[Page 3057]]

connection with a determination of the right to reimbursement under 
this part, or in connection with a request for payment;
    (d) Submitted, or caused to be submitted, three or more bills or 
requests for payment within a 12-month period under this subpart 
containing charges which OWCP finds to be substantially in excess of 
such provider's customary charges, unless OWCP finds there is good 
cause for the bills or requests containing such charges;
    (e) Knowingly failed to timely reimburse employees for treatment, 
services or supplies furnished under this subpart and paid for by OWCP;
    (f) Failed, neglected or refused on three or more occasions during 
a 12-month period to submit full and accurate medical reports, or to 
respond to requests by OWCP for additional reports or information, as 
required by Sec.  30.700;
    (g) Knowingly furnished treatment, services or supplies which are 
substantially in excess of the employee's needs, or of a quality which 
fails to meet professionally recognized standards;
    (h) Collected or attempted to collect from the employee, either 
directly or through a collection agent, an amount in excess of the 
charge allowed by OWCP for the procedure performed, and has failed or 
refused to make appropriate refund to the employee, or to cease such 
collection attempts, within 60 days of the date of the decision of 
OWCP;
    (i) Failed to inform OWCP of any change in their provider status as 
required in Sec.  30.700; or
    (j) Engaged in conduct related to care of an employee's 
occupational illness or covered illness that OWCP finds to be 
misleading, deceptive or unfair.

0
57. Amend Sec.  30.716 by adding paragraph (c) to read as follows:


Sec.  30.716   What will cause OWCP to automatically exclude a 
physician or other provider of medical services and supplies?

* * * * *
    (c) A provider may be excluded on a voluntary basis at any time.

0
58. Revise Sec. Sec.  30.717 through 30.721 to read as follows:



Sec.  30.717   When are OWCP's exclusion procedures initiated?

    (a) Upon receipt of information indicating that a physician, 
hospital or provider of medical services or supplies (hereinafter the 
provider) has or may have engaged in activities enumerated in 
paragraphs (c) through (j) of Sec.  30.715, OWCP will forward that 
information to the Department of Labor's Office of Inspector General 
(DOL OIG) for its consideration. If the information was provided 
directly to DOL OIG, DOL OIG will notify OWCP of its receipt and 
implement the appropriate action within its authority, unless such 
notification will or may compromise the identity of confidential 
sources, or compromise or prejudice an ongoing or potential criminal 
investigation.
    (b) DOL OIG will conduct such action as it deems necessary, and, 
when appropriate, provide a written report as described in paragraph 
(c) of this section to OWCP. OWCP will then determine whether to 
initiate procedures to exclude the provider from participation in the 
EEOICPA program. If DOL OIG determines not to take any further action, 
it will promptly notify OWCP of such determination.
    (c) If DOL OIG discovers reasonable cause to believe that 
violations of Sec.  30.715 have occurred, it shall, when appropriate, 
prepare a written report, i.e., investigative memorandum, and forward 
the report along with supporting evidence to OWCP. The report shall be 
in the form of a single memorandum in narrative form with attachments.
    (1) The report should contain all of the following elements:
    (i) A brief description and explanation of the subject provider or 
providers;
    (ii) A concise statement of the DOL OIG's findings upon which 
exclusion may be based;
    (iii) A summary of the events that make up the DOL OIG's findings;
    (iv) A discussion of the documentation supporting DOL OIG's 
findings;
    (v) A discussion of any other information that may have bearing 
upon the exclusion process; and
    (vi) The supporting documentary evidence including any expert 
opinion rendered in the case.
    (2) The attachments to the report should be provided in a manner 
that they may be easily referenced from the report.


Sec.  30.718   How is a provider notified of OWCP's intent to exclude 
him or her?

    Following receipt of the investigative report, OWCP will determine 
if there exists a reasonable basis to exclude the provider or 
providers. If OWCP determines that such a basis exists, OWCP shall 
initiate the exclusion process by sending the provider a letter, by 
certified mail and with return receipt requested (or equivalent 
services from a commercial carrier), which shall contain the following:
    (a) A concise statement of the grounds upon which exclusion shall 
be based;
    (b) A summary of the information, with supporting documentation, 
upon which OWCP has relied in reaching an initial decision that 
exclusion proceedings should begin;
    (c) An invitation to the provider to:
    (1) Resign voluntarily from participation in the EEOICPA program 
without admitting or denying the allegations presented in the letter; 
or
    (2) Request a decision on exclusion based upon the existing record 
and any additional documentary information the provider may wish to 
furnish;
    (d) A notice of the provider's right, in the event of an adverse 
ruling by the deciding official, to request a formal hearing before an 
administrative law judge;
    (e) A notice that should the provider fail to respond (as described 
in Sec.  30.719) the letter of intent within 60 days of receipt, the 
deciding official may deem the allegations made therein to be true and 
may order exclusion of the provider without conducting any further 
proceedings; and
    (f) The address to where the response from the provider should be 
sent.


Sec.  30.719   What requirements must the provider's response and 
OWCP's decision meet?

    (a) The provider's response shall be in writing and shall include 
an answer to OWCP's invitation to resign voluntarily. If the provider 
does not offer to resign, he or she shall request that a determination 
be made upon the existing record and any additional information 
provided.
    (b) Should the provider fail to respond to the letter of intent 
within 60 days of receipt, the deciding official may deem the 
allegations made therein to be true and may order exclusion of the 
provider.
    (c) The provider may inspect or request copies of information in 
the record at any time prior to the deciding official's decision by 
making such request to OWCP within 20 days of receipt of the letter of 
intent.
    (d) OWCP shall have 30 days to answer the provider's response. That 
answer will be forwarded to the provider, who shall then have 15 days 
to reply. Any response from the provider may be forwarded to DOL OIG, 
should OWCP deem it appropriate, to obtain additional information which 
may be relevant to the provider's response.
    (e) The deciding official shall be the Regional Director in the 
region in which the provider is located unless otherwise specified by 
the Director for Energy Employees Occupational Illness Compensation.

[[Page 3058]]

    (f) The deciding official shall issue his or her decision in 
writing, and shall send a copy of the decision to the provider by 
certified mail, return receipt requested (or equivalent service from a 
commercial carrier). The decision shall advise the provider of his or 
her right to request, within 30 days of the date of the adverse 
decision, a formal hearing before an administrative law judge under the 
procedures set forth in Sec.  30.720. The filing of a request for a 
hearing within the time specified shall stay the effectiveness of the 
decision to exclude.


Sec.  30.720   How can an excluded provider request a hearing?

    A request for a hearing shall be sent to the deciding official and 
shall contain:
    (a) A concise notice of the issues on which the provider desires to 
give evidence at the hearing;
    (b) Any request for the presentation of oral argument or evidence; 
and
    (c) Any request for a certification of questions concerning 
professional medical standards, medical ethics or medical regulation 
for an advisory opinion from a competent recognized professional 
organization or Federal, state or local regulatory body.


Sec.  30.721   How are hearings assigned and scheduled?

    (a) If the deciding official receives a timely request for hearing, 
he or she shall refer the matter to the Chief Administrative Law Judge 
of the Department of Labor, who shall assign it for an expedited 
hearing. The administrative law judge assigned to the matter shall 
consider the request for hearing, act on all requests therein, and 
issue a Notice of Hearing and schedule for the conduct of the hearing. 
A copy of the hearing notice shall be served on the provider by 
certified mail, return receipt requested. The Notice of Hearing and 
schedule shall include:
    (1) A ruling on each item raised in the request for hearing;
    (2) A schedule for the prompt disposition of all preliminary 
matters, including requests for the certification of questions to 
advisory bodies; and
    (3) A scheduled hearing date not less than 30 days after the date 
the schedule is issued, and not less than 15 days after the scheduled 
conclusion of preliminary matters, provided that the specific time and 
place of the hearing may be set on 10 days' notice.
    (b) The provider is entitled to be heard on any matter placed in 
issue by his or her response to the notice of intent to exclude, and 
may designate ``all issues'' for purposes of hearing. However, a 
specific designation of issues is required if the provider wishes to 
interpose affirmative defenses, or request the certification of 
questions for an advisory opinion.

0
59. Amend Sec.  30.723 by revising paragraph (b) to read as follows:


Sec.  30.723   How will the administrative law judge conduct the 
hearing and issue the recommended decision?

* * * * *
    (b) The administrative law judge shall receive such relevant 
evidence as may be adduced at the hearing. Parties to the hearing are 
the provider and OWCP. Evidence shall be presented under oath, orally 
or in the form of written statements. The administrative law judge 
shall consider the notice and response, including all pertinent 
documents accompanying them, and may also consider any evidence which 
refers to the provider or to any claim with respect to which the 
provider has provided medical services, hospital services, or medical 
services and supplies, and such other evidence as the administrative 
law judge may determine to be necessary or useful in evaluating the 
matter.
* * * * *

0
60. Revise Sec.  30.724 to read as follows:


Sec.  30.724   How does a recommended decision become final?

    (a) Within 30 days from the date the recommended decision is 
issued, the provider may state, in writing, any objections to the 
recommended decision. This written statement should be filed with the 
Director for Energy Employees Occupational Illness Compensation.
    (b) For the purposes of determining whether the written statement 
referred to in paragraph (a) of this section has been timely filed with 
the Director for Energy Employees Occupational Illness Compensation, 
the statement will be considered to be ``filed'' on the date that the 
provider mails it to the Director, as determined by postmark or other 
carrier's date marking, or the date that such written statement is 
actually received by the Director, whichever is earlier.
    (c) Written statements objecting to the recommended decision may be 
filed upon one or more of the following grounds:
    (1) A finding or conclusion of material fact is not supported by 
substantial evidence;
    (2) A necessary legal conclusion is erroneous;
    (3) The decision is contrary to law or to the duly promulgated 
rules or decisions of the Director;
    (4) A substantial question of law, policy, or discretion is 
involved; or
    (5) A prejudicial error of procedure was committed.
    (d) Each issue shall be separately numbered and plainly and 
concisely stated, and shall be supported by detailed citations to the 
record when assignments of error are based on the record, and by 
statutes, regulations or principal authorities relied upon. Except for 
good cause shown, no assignment of error by the provider shall rely on 
any question of fact or law upon which the administrative law judge had 
not been afforded an opportunity to pass.
    (e) If a written statement of objection is filed within the 
allotted period of time, the Director for Energy Employees Occupational 
Illness Compensation will review the objection. The Director will 
forward the written objection to DOL OIG, which will have 14 calendar 
days from that date to respond. Any response from DOL OIG will be 
forwarded to the provider, which will have 14 calendar days from that 
date to reply.
    (f) The Director for Energy Employees Occupational Illness 
Compensation will consider the recommended decision, the written record 
and any response or reply received and will then issue a written, final 
decision either upholding or reversing the exclusion.
    (g) If no written statement of objection is filed within the 
allotted period of time, the Director for Energy Employees Occupational 
Illness Compensation will issue a written, final decision accepting the 
recommendation of the administrative law judge.
    (h) The decision of the Director for Energy Employees Occupational 
Illness Compensation shall be final with respect to the provider's 
participation in the program, and shall not be subject to further 
review.

0
61. Amend Sec.  30.725 by revising paragraph (a) to read as follows:


Sec.  30.725   What are the effects of non-automatic exclusion?

    (a) OWCP shall give notice of the exclusion of a physician, 
hospital or provider of medical services or supplies to:
    (1) All OWCP district offices;
    (2) CMS;
    (3) All employees who are known to have had treatment, services or 
supplies from the excluded provider within the six-month period 
immediately preceding the order of exclusion; and
    (4) The state or local authority responsible for licensing or 
certifying the excluded provider.
* * * * *

[[Page 3059]]


0
62. Amend Sec.  30.726 by revising paragraph (c) to read as follows:


Sec.  30.726   How can an excluded provider be reinstated?

* * * * *
    (c) A request for reinstatement may be accompanied by a request for 
oral presentation. Oral presentations will be allowed only in unusual 
circumstances where it will materially aid the decision process.
* * * * *

0
63. Amend Sec.  30.800 by revising paragraph (c) to read as follows:


Sec.  30.800   What types of wage-loss are compensable under Part E of 
EEOICPA?

* * * * *
    (c) Whether the employee's inability to earn at least as much as 
his or her average annual wage was due to a covered illness as defined 
in Sec.  30.5(s).

0
64. Amend Sec.  30.801 as follows:
0
a. Revise paragraph (a);
0
b. Redesignate paragraphs (c), (d), and (e) as paragraphs (d), (e), and 
(h), respectively;
0
c. Add new paragraph (c);
0
d. Revise newly redesignated paragraph (e); and
0
e. Add paragraphs (f) and (g).
    The revisions and additions read as follows:


Sec.  30.801   What special definitions does OWCP use in connection 
with Part E wage-loss determinations?

* * * * *
    (a) Average annual wage means 12 times the average monthly wage of 
a covered Part E employee for the 36 months preceding the month during 
which he or she first experienced wage-loss due to exposure to a toxic 
substance at a DOE facility or RECA section 5 facility (referred to as 
the ``trigger month''), excluding any months during which the employee 
was unemployed. Because being ``retired'' is not equivalent to being 
``unemployed,'' months during which an employee had no wages because he 
or she was retired will not be excluded from this calculation.
* * * * *
    (c) Month during which the employee was unemployed means any month 
during which the covered Part E employee had $250 (in constant 2013 
dollars) or less in wages unless the month is one during which the 
employee was retired.
* * * * *
    (e) Quarter during which the employee was unemployed means any 
quarter during which the covered Part E employee had $750 (in constant 
2013 dollars) or less in wages unless the quarter is one during which 
the employee was retired.
    (f) Trigger month means the calendar month during which the 
employee first experienced a loss in wages due to exposure to a toxic 
substance at a DOE facility or RECA section 5 facility.
    (g) Wages mean all monetary payments that the covered Part E 
employee earns from his or her regular employment or services that are 
taxed as income by the Internal Revenue Service. Salaries, overtime 
compensation, sick leave, vacation leave, tips, and bonuses received 
for employment services are considered wages under this subpart. 
However, capital gains, IRA distributions, pensions, annuities, 
unemployment compensation, state workers' compensation benefits, 
medical retirement benefits, and Social Security benefits are not 
considered wages.
* * * * *

0
65. Revise Sec.  30.805 to read as follows:


Sec.  30.805   What are the criteria for eligibility for wage-loss 
benefits under Part E?

    (a) In addition to satisfying the general eligibility requirements 
applicable to all Part E claims, a claimant seeking benefits for 
calendar years of qualifying wage-loss has the burden of proof to 
establish each of the following criteria:
    (1) He or she held a job at which he or she earned wages;
    (2) He or she experienced a loss in those wages in a particular 
month (referred to as the ``trigger month'' in this section);
    (3) The wage-loss in the trigger month was caused by the covered 
Part E employee's covered illness, i.e., that he or she would have 
continued to earn wages in the trigger month from that employment but 
for the covered illness;
    (4) His or her average annual wage;
    (5) His or her normal retirement age and the calendar year in which 
he or she would reach that age;
    (6) Beginning with the calendar year of the trigger month, the 
percentage of the average annual wage that was earned in each calendar 
year up to and including the retirement year;
    (7) The number of those calendar years in which the covered illness 
caused the covered Part E employee to earn 50% or less of his or her 
average annual wage; and
    (8) The number of those calendar years in which the covered illness 
caused him or her to earn more than 50% but not more than 75% of his or 
her average annual wage.
    (b) OWCP will discontinue development of a request for wage-loss 
benefits, during which the claimant must meet his or her burden of 
proof to establish each of the criteria listed in paragraph (a) of this 
section, at any point when the claimant is unable to meet such burden 
and proceed to issue a recommended decision to deny the request.

0
66. Revise Sec.  30.806 to read as follows:


Sec.  30.806   What kind of medical evidence must the claimant submit 
to prove that he or she lost wages due to a covered illness?

    OWCP requires the submission of rationalized medical evidence of 
sufficient probative value to convince the fact-finder that the covered 
Part E employee experienced a loss in wages in his or her trigger month 
due to a covered illness, i.e., medical evidence based on a physician's 
fully explained and reasoned decision (see Sec.  30.805(a)(3)). A loss 
in wages in the trigger month due solely to non-covered illness 
matters, such as a reduction in force or voluntary retirement, is not 
proof of compensable wage-loss under Part E.

0
67. Add Sec.  30.807 immediately preceding the undesignated center 
heading ``Determinations of Average Annual Wage and Percentages of 
Loss'' to read as follows:


Sec.  30.807   What factual evidence does OWCP use to determine a 
covered Part E employee's average annual wage?

    (a) OWCP may rely on annual or quarterly wage information reported 
to the Social Security Administration to establish a covered Part E 
employee's presumed average annual wage (see Sec.  30.810) and the 
duration and extent of any years of wage-loss that are compensable 
under Part E of the Act (see Sec.  30.811). OWCP may also rely on other 
probative evidence of a covered Part E employee's wages, and may ask 
the claimant for additional evidence needed to make this determination, 
if necessary. For the purposes of making these two types of 
determinations, OWCP will consider all monetary payments that the 
covered Part E employee received as wages (see Sec.  30.801(g)).
    (b) A claimant who disagrees with the evidence OWCP has obtained 
under paragraph (a) of this section and alleges a different average 
annual wage for the covered Part E employee, or that there was a 
greater duration or extent of wage-loss, may submit records that were 
produced in the ordinary course of business due to the employee's 
employment to rebut that evidence, to the extent that such records are 
determined to be authentic by OWCP. The average annual wage and/or 
wage-loss of the covered Part E employee will

[[Page 3060]]

then be determined by OWCP in the exercise of its discretion.

0
68. Amend Sec.  30.810 by revising paragraphs (a) through (d) to read 
as follows:


Sec.  30.810   How will OWCP calculate the average annual wage of a 
covered Part E employee?

* * * * *
    (a) Aggregate the wages for the 36 months that preceded the trigger 
month, excluding any month during which the employee was unemployed;
    (b) Add any additional wages earned by the employee during those 
same months as evidenced by records described in Sec.  30.807;
    (c) Divide the sum of paragraphs (a) and (b) of this section by 36, 
less the number of months during which the employee was unemployed; and
    (d) Multiply this figure by 12 to calculate the covered Part E 
employee's average annual wage.

0
69. Amend Sec.  30.811 as follows:
0
a. Revise paragraph (a);
0
b. Remove paragraph (b); and
0
c. Redesignate paragraphs (c) and (d) as paragraphs (b) and (c), 
respectively.
    The revision reads as follows:


Sec.  30.811   How will OWCP calculate the duration and extent of a 
covered Part E employee's initial period of compensable wage-loss?

    (a) To determine the initial calendar years of wage-loss, OWCP will 
use the evidence it receives under Sec. Sec.  30.805 through 30.807 to 
compare the calendar-year wages for the covered Part E employee, as 
adjusted, with the average annual wage determined under Sec.  30.810 
for each calendar year beginning with the calendar year that includes 
the trigger month, and concluding with the last calendar year of wage-
loss prior to the submission of the claim or the calendar year in which 
the employee reached normal retirement age (as defined in Sec.  
30.801(b)), whichever occurred first.
* * * * *

0
70. Amend Sec.  30.901 by revising paragraphs (a) and (b) to read as 
follows:


Sec.  30.901  How does OWCP determine the extent of an employee's 
impairment that is due to a covered illness contracted through exposure 
to a toxic substance at a DOE facility or a RECA section 5 facility, as 
appropriate?

    (a) OWCP will determine the amount of impairment benefits to which 
an employee is entitled based on one or more impairment evaluations 
submitted by physicians. An impairment evaluation shall contain the 
physician's opinion on the extent of whole person impairment of all 
organs and body functions of the employee that are compromised or 
otherwise affected by the employee's covered illness or illnesses, 
which shall be referred to as an ``impairment rating.''
    (b) In making impairment benefit determinations, OWCP will only 
consider medical reports from physicians who are certified by the 
relevant medical board and who satisfy any additional criteria 
determined by OWCP to be necessary to qualify to perform impairment 
evaluations under Part E, including any specific training and 
experience related to particular conditions and other objective 
factors.
* * * * *

0
71. Revise Sec.  30.902 to read as follows:


Sec.  30.902   How will OWCP calculate the amount of the award of 
impairment benefits that is payable under Part E?

    (a) OWCP will multiply the percentage points of the impairment 
rating by $2,500 to calculate the amount of the award.
    (b) An employee's impairment rating may be comprised of multiple 
impairments of organs and body functions due to multiple covered 
illnesses. If an impairment award is payable based on a whole person 
impairment rating in which at least one of the impairments is subject 
to a reduction under Sec. Sec.  30.505(b) and/or 30.626, OWCP will 
reduce the impairment award proportionately.

0
72. Amend Sec.  30.908 by revising paragraphs (b) and (c) to read as 
follows:


Sec.  30.908   How will the FAB evaluate new medical evidence submitted 
to challenge the impairment determination in the recommended decision?

* * * * *
    (b) The employee shall bear the burden of proving that the 
additional impairment evaluation submitted is more probative than the 
evaluation relied upon by the district office to determine the 
employee's recommended impairment rating.
    (c) If an employee submits an additional impairment evaluation that 
differs from the impairment evaluation relied upon by the district 
office, the FAB will review all relevant evidence of impairment in the 
record, and will base its determinations regarding impairment upon the 
evidence it considers to be most probative. The FAB will determine the 
impairment rating after it has evaluated all relevant evidence and 
argument in the record.

    Signed at Washington, DC, this 28th day of January, 2019.
Julia K. Hearthway,
Director, Office of Workers' Compensation Programs.
[FR Doc. 2019-00581 Filed 2-7-19; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4510-CR-P