Improving Access to Workers' Compensation for Injured Federal Workers Act of 2022

Floor Speech

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Ms. FOXX. Madam Speaker, I thank my colleague from Michigan for yielding.

I rise in support of this bipartisan legislation to allow nurse practitioners and physician assistants to act as eligible providers under the Federal Employees' Compensation Act program within the scope of their practice under State law.

Under current law, nurse practitioners and physician assistants are unable to treat Federal workers covered by FECA, even though most State workers' compensation programs authorize them to provide this care for private-sector employees.

To be clear, H.R. 6087 defers to State law and does not expand the scope of practice. This legislation aligns FECA with other Federal programs that already include care provided by nurse practitioners and physician assistants, such as Medicare and the Veterans Health Administration program.

H.R. 6087 would increase healthcare access and choice for Federal employees when many areas of our country are grappling with provider shortages, especially in rural areas.

According to the National Rural Health Association, nurse practitioners and physician assistants account for a third of all primary care clinicians treating Medicare beneficiaries nationwide, and they are closer to half of the primary care clinicians in rural areas.

Improving healthcare access for FECA beneficiaries would allow injured Federal employees to return to the workforce more quickly, benefiting both employees and taxpayers.

I urge my colleagues to support this commonsense, bipartisan improvement to our Federal workers' compensation program. I thank my committee colleagues, Representatives Walberg and Courtney, and Chairman Scott for advancing this important legislation.

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