U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA), ranking member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee, has called for accountability from the Department of Labor (DOL) following a report indicating significant delays in medical care for American energy workers under the Energy Employees Occupational Illness Compensation Program Act (EEOICPA).
“DOL’s failure to provide timely, accurate coverage decisions to benefit the livelihood and health of our nation’s energy workers is unacceptable and must be rectified,” wrote Dr. Cassidy. “DOL needs to address these failures to ensure EEOICPA serves the American people.”
Administered by DOL’s Office of Workers’ Compensation Programs (OWCP), EEOICPA offers medical treatment and other services to federal workers and contractors at Department of Energy (DOE) facilities who are ill due to radiation exposure or other toxic substances. OWCP is responsible for determining compensation and managing medical benefits claims made by these workers or their surviving beneficiaries.
A recent report from the DOL Office of Inspector General (OIG) revealed that OWCP frequently overlooked errors in benefits claims, such as incomplete employment verification, insufficient evidence linking illnesses to employment, or failure to adhere to documented procedures for claims processing. These errors have prevented qualified workers and their families from receiving necessary health benefits.
The OIG report also noted that OWCP took an average of 182 days—approximately six months—to make coverage decisions in FY 2018. By FY 2022, this average increased to 207 days—a 14 percent rise despite an 18 percent reduction in claims received. In over 1,300 cases, initial decisions took more than a year, with some claimants waiting up to seven years. Furthermore, OWCP has been criticized for not expediting cases with emergency medical needs.
Senator Cassidy’s letter highlights these findings: “The OIG audited four years of claims data and found a variety of problems with DOL’s claims process… DOL must make clear what steps you will take to improve this unacceptable situation.”
The letter further outlines several questions directed at Acting Secretary Su regarding plans to reduce wait times for coverage decisions and whether there will be new policies prioritizing terminally ill claimants through expedited reviews.
Cassidy concludes by urging immediate action: “DOL’s failure to provide timely, accurate coverage decisions… is unacceptable and must be rectified.”
