Since 2000, the federal government has been granting compensation to former energy workers and other impacted people who have developed certain illnesses as the result of exposure to radioactive or other toxic substances.
In addition to cash compensation, successful claimants can also receive integrated health care benefits fully paid by the federal government via the Energy Employees Occupational Illness Compensation Program Act (EEOICPA).
Want to learn more about your options for compensation via the EEOICPA, including home health care? Don’t hesitate to contact an experienced EEOICPA home health care attorney for help with your claim.
Who Can Receive Benefits under EEOICPA?
Since the program’s inception, the Department of Labor has administered EEOICPA benefits to eligible individuals. But who exactly qualifies for these benefits?
The EEOICPA works as a form of federal workers compensation for previous nuclear weapons workers at the Department of Energy (DOE), or DOE contractors, who later suffered medical conditions related to their exposure to radioactive or toxic material.
Typically, successful claimants are former workers at the DOE in either the production or testing of atomic weapons, who later became ill or died due to radiation-related diseases, such as:
- Certain cancers, such as bone and renal cancer, leukemia, and many others
- Beryllium disease
- Kidney disease
- Other illnesses caused or aggravated by exposure to hazardous material at a DOE facility
The family members of the impacted may also be eligible for compensation. Typically, these claims are limited to the following surviving family members of former nuclear weapons workers:
- Spouses
- Children
- Stepchildren
- Grandchildren
- Parents
Since the start of the program, thousands of claims have been filed to the sum of billions of dollars in cash and medical compensation. If you think you might have an eligible claim, contact one of our attorneys for a free initial evaluation.
Home Health Care under the EEOICPA
Successful claimants under the EEOICPA can receive medical benefits to either cure, give relief, or manage the degree of their accepted illnesses. If you’ve filed a successful claim, the program will entirely absorb the cost of approved treatments for your conditions, including home health care.
Home health care, also called home and residential health care (HRHC) by the government, refers to medically appropriate care administered either in a residential care facility or your own home.
Although the EEOICPA is responsible for paying the sum of the home health care for your accepted illness, you still need to get pre-approval for payment to begin.
To request home health care services, you or your representative are responsible for submitting form EE-17A, which is the claim for home health care and related benefits.
In addition, a qualified physician is required to complete an in-person physical examination to send a letter of medical necessity, which will detail the reasons why home health care makes sense for you.
Home health care under the EEOICPA is tailored to your own unique medical needs and circumstances. Some of the care-related services that you could be eligible for include:
- In-home therapeutic care
- Hourly or 24/7 skilled nursing care
- Assistive health care personnel
- Targeted case management
- Admission to an assisted living facility
- Hospice care
Once payment has been approved for home health care services, you can select any licensed medical provider to fulfill your in-home care.
Get Help with Your EEOICPA Claim
Whether you’re in the process of filing an EEOICPA claim for the first time or have faced a previous rejection, you can benefit from the input and expertise of a qualified legal representative. Stephens & Stephens has helped clients recover millions of dollars in total compensation, including for EEOICPA home health care.
Interested in a free evaluation? Call 716-852-7590 or fill out the form on our website to learn more.