United States S 131: Improving Access to Workers’ Compensation for Injured Federal Workers Act

Bill Text

II
118TH CONGRESS
1ST SESSION S. 131
To amend chapter 81 of title 5, United States Code, to cover, for purposes
of workers’ compensation under such chapter, services by physician as-
sistants and nurse practitioners provided to injured Federal workers,
and for other purposes.
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
JANUARY 30, 2023
Mr. BROWN (for himself and Ms. COLLINS) introduced the following bill;
which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Secu-
rity and Governmental Affairs
A BILL
To amend chapter 81 of title 5, United States Code, to
cover, for purposes of workers’ compensation under such
chapter, services by physician assistants and nurse prac-
titioners provided to injured Federal workers, and for
other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-1
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 2
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 3
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Improving Access to 4
Workers’ Compensation for Injured Federal Workers Act 5
of 2023’’. 6
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•S 131 IS
SEC. 2. INCLUSION OF PHYSICIAN ASSISTANTS AND NURSE 1
PRACTITIONERS IN FEDERAL EMPLOYEES’ 2
COMPENSATION ACT. 3
(a) INCLUSION.—Section 8101 of title 5, United 4
States Code, is amended— 5
(1) in paragraph (3), by inserting ‘‘, other eligi-6
ble providers,’’ after ‘‘osteopathic practitioners’’; 7
(2) by striking ‘‘and’’ at the end of paragraphs 8
(18) and (19); 9
(3) by striking the period at the end of para-10
graph (20) and inserting ‘‘; and’’; and 11
(4) by adding at the end the following: 12
‘‘(21) ‘other eligible provider’ means a nurse 13
practitioner or physician assistant within the scope 14
of their practice as defined by State law.’’. 15
(b) CONFORMING AMENDMENTS.—Chapter 81 of 16
title 5, United States Code, is amended— 17
(1) in section 8103(a)— 18
(A) by inserting ‘‘or other eligible pro-19
vider’’ after ‘‘physician’’ in each instance; and 20
(B) in paragraph (3), by inserting ‘‘or 21
other eligible providers’’ after ‘‘physicians’’; 22
(2) in section 8121(6), by inserting ‘‘or other 23
eligible provider’’ after ‘‘physician’’; and 24
(3) in section 8123(a)— 25
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•S 131 IS
(A) by inserting ‘‘or other eligible pro-1
vider’’ after ‘‘The employee may have a physi-2
cian’’; and 3
(B) by inserting ‘‘or other eligible pro-4
vider’’ after ‘‘United States and the physician’’. 5
(c) REGULATIONS.—Not later than 6 months after 6
the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall final-7
ize rules to carry out the amendments made by this Act. 8
SEC. 3. DETERMINATION OF BUDGETARY EFFECTS. 9
The budgetary effects of this Act, for the purpose of 10
complying with the Statutory Pay-As-You-Go Act of 2010, 11
shall be determined by reference to the latest statement 12
titled ‘‘Budgetary Effects of PAYGO Legislation’’ for this 13
Act, submitted for printing in the Congressional Record 14
by the Chairman of the House Budget Committee, pro-15
vided that such statement has been submitted prior to the 16
vote on passage. 17
Æ
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