Press Releases

Today, Workforce Protections Subcommittee Chairman Ryan Mackenzie (R-PA) delivered the following statement, as prepared for delivery, at a hearing titled  "Strengthening Federal Workers’ Compensation Programs: Ensuring Integrity, Efficiency, and Access":

"Today’s hearing will examine programs in the Department of Labor’s Office of Workers’ Compensation Programs (OWCP). Since its establishment in 1916, OWCP has supported workers who experience an injury on the job or develop an occupational disability or disease. Through these programs, workers and their families may receive wage replacement benefits, medical treatment, vocational rehabilitation, and other assistance.
 
"As part of its duties, OWCP administers the Federal Employees’ Compensation Act (FECA) and the Energy Employees Occupational Illness Compensation Program Act (EEOICPA). These programs provide billions of dollars in benefits each year to the hundreds of thousands of workers who depend on them.  
 
"These programs play a critical role in supporting injured employees, which we heard about during our hearing on this subject last year. Following that hearing, we received valuable input, observations, and perspectives from stakeholders. Today’s hearing gives us the opportunity to build on what we’ve learned and seek out commonsense improvements to these programs that help injured workers access high-quality care and return to their careers.
 
"H.R. 4122, the Health Care for Energy Workers Act, introduced by Committee Members Allen and McBath, is one example. This bipartisan bill would expand access to qualified providers and reduce delays in care by allowing nurse practitioners and physician assistants to order care in the EEOICPA program. Last year, the Committee unanimously approved a similar bill introduced by Chairman Walberg and Representative Courtney, Improving Access to Workers' Compensation for Injured Federal Workers Act, which amends FECA. Together, these bills cut unnecessary red tape and help to reduce the hurdles that injured workers are forced to jump through in order to receive care. By embracing solutions like these, we can deliver the savings and efficiency that taxpayers deserve while also streamlining the care that injured workers count on.
 
"In addition to these reforms, we should consider ways to help OWCP run these programs more efficiently. Many state workers’ compensation programs have adapted to the evolving technological and health care landscapes. Identifying best practices from those programs could help federal programs improve in terms of efficiency and connecting workers with quality care. From adopting artificial intelligence for assistance in claims processing to strengthening predictive modeling, these practices could help reduce administrative burdens, streamline care, and save money for the American taxpayer.

"I look forward to hearing from today’s witnesses about their perspectives and recommendations on how these programs can better serve injured workers while ensuring they run efficiently and operate responsibly."

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