Greg Larsen, President

OWCP

 

What A Federal Employee Should Do When Injured At Work

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1. Assess your situation.

If its not an life threatening emergency, NOTIFY YOUR STEWARD. Then...

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2. Report to Supervisor

Every job-related injury should be reported to your supervisor as soon as possible. Injury in this case also means any illness or disease that is caused or aggravated by your employment as well as damage to medical braces, artificial limbs, and other prosthetic devices.

 

3. Obtain Medical Care

Before you seek medical treatment for a traumatic injury, ask your supervisor to authorize medical treatment using Form CA-16. This form may be obtained by contacting your employing agency’s workers’ compensation personnel. Take this form with you when you seek medical treatment and provide it to the physician/hospital. You have the right to choose the physician you initially see for medical treatment. This may be a private physician or, if available, a local Federal medical officer/hospital. Emergency medical treatment may be obtained without prior authorization. Note that in occupational disease claims, Form CA-16 may not be issued without prior approval from the Office of Workers’ Compensation Programs (OWCP).

 

4. File Written Notice

Claim forms must be filed using the Employees’ Compensation Operations and Management Portal (ECOMP). Go to www.ecomp.dol.gov and register for an account. For traumatic injuries, file Form CA-1 within 30 days following the injury, and for occupational disease claims, file Form CA-2. Once you complete your portion of the claim form, it will be forwarded to your supervisor who will complete the supervisor’s portion before forwarding the form for review. You will receive claim status update emails as your claim form is processed. For help filing your claim, click the “HELP” icon found at the top right hand corner of the ECOMP website, and then click the “FECA Claimant-Injured Worker” link.

 

5. Submit Claim for COP and/or Compensation For Wage Loss

If you are disabled due to a traumatic injury, you may elect to use the continuation of pay (COP) benefit for a period not to exceed 45 calendar days or use leave. To be eligible for COP, you must submit a CA-1 within 30 days of the injury. If disabled and claiming COP, you must submit medical evidence supporting your disability to your employing agency within 10 workdays. If you are disabled beyond the COP period, are not entitled to COP, or are disabled due to an occupational disease, you may file a claim for compensation using Form CA-7 at www.ecomp.dol.gov or use leave. You will receive claim status update emails as your forms are processed. A claim for compensation for disability should be submitted as soon as possible after it is apparent that you are disabled and will enter a leave-without-pay status.

 

6. Medical Billing (ask the doctor if they handle FEDERAL OWCP)

Medical providers must be enrolled with OWCP’s medical billing contractor to obtain payment. All providers must submit bills on standard billing forms to the London, KY mailing address or online at owcpmed.dol.gov. The standard billing forms accepted by OWCP are OWCP1500/HCFA 1500 for Physicians, physical therapists, labs, etc. and UB-92 for hospitals. Claimants may submit bills for reimbursement on forms OWCP-915 and 957.