Senator Collins’ Bipartisan Bill to Expand Federal Worker Access to Health Care Advances Out of Committee by Voice Vote

Bill would allow physician assistants and nurse practitioners to certify injuries and oversee treatment for injured federal workers.

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, U.S. Senator Susan Collins announced that the bipartisan Improving Access to Workers' Compensation for Injured Federal Workers Act that she introduced with Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) advanced out of the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Government Affairs by voice vote. The bill now heads to the Senate floor for consideration by the full body.

"In a large, rural state like Maine, finding access to health care close to home can be a challenge. Nurse practitioners and physician assistants help to fill in this gap by providing quality medical services to local communities," said Senator Collins. "By allowing injured federal workers to be treated by these professionals, our bipartisan bill would help prevent the need for long and difficult travel, reduce wait times for care, and improve employees' overall health and wellbeing. Today's committee approval of this bill reflects broad bipartisan agreement that this unnecessary barrier to care should be removed."

Currently, federal employees-including the more than 12,000 working in Maine-can select a Physician Assistant (PA) or a Nurse Practitioner (NP) as their primary health care provider within the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program. However, the Federal Employees Compensation Act (FECA) permits only a physician to make diagnoses, certify injuries and the extent of a disability, and oversee a federal employee's treatment and care when they are injured on the job.

The Improving Access to Workers' Compensation for Injured Federal Workers Act would amend FECA to allow PAs and NPs to certify injuries and oversee treatment for federal workers with injuries or illnesses that occurred on the job, when doing so is consistent with the scope of their practice under state law.

The bill has been endorsed by dozens of organizations, including the American Association of Nurse Practitioners (AANP), the American Academy of Physician Associates, the American Academy of Nursing, the PA Education Association, the American Association of Colleges of Nursing, the American Federation of Government Employees, and the National Federation of Federal Employees.

"The American Association of Nurse Practitioners, on behalf of the over 461,000 nurse practitioners nationwide, commends Senators Collins and Blumenthal, Chairman Paul and Ranking Member Peters for their leadership on passing S. 3296, the Improving Access to Workers' Compensation for Injured Federal Workers Act, out of Committee. As a dual board-certified nurse practitioner in Portland, Maine, I know the importance of this legislation to federal employees. Authorizing NPs to certify federal workplace injuries and oversee the patient's treatment and care will ensure injured federal employees receive the care they need from their chosen and trusted health care providers to get them back to work sooner," said AANP President Valerie J. Fuller, PhD, DNP.

The complete text of the bill can be read here.

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