Injured Federal Workers Get More Care Options: PAs and NPs Authorized for Workers' Comp Claims

The Improving Access to Workers’ Compensation for Injured Federal Workers Act of 2025 is a straightforward piece of legislation designed to update the Federal Employees Compensation Act (FECA) by expanding who can treat injured federal employees. Specifically, this bill officially adds Physician Assistants (PAs) and Nurse Practitioners (NPs) to the list of authorized healthcare providers for work-related injury claims.

The New Roster: Modernizing Who Can Treat You

For federal employees, this is a big deal for convenience and access. Right now, if you’re a federal worker—maybe you work for the Post Office, the VA, or the Forest Service—and you get hurt on the job, your workers’ compensation claim requires treatment and documentation from an authorized physician. This bill modernizes that definition by creating a new category: "other eligible provider," which covers PAs and NPs acting within the scope of their state law practice. This means PAs and NPs can now do everything a doctor can do under the program, including examining and treating the injury (Section 8103(a)) and conducting necessary medical evaluations (Section 8121(6)).

Think about the reality of getting medical care today. In many areas, especially rural ones, getting an appointment with an MD or DO can take weeks. PAs and NPs are highly trained and often serve as the primary care providers in clinics and hospitals, and they generally have more immediate availability. By including them, the bill aims to cut down on wait times and make it easier for injured workers to get the necessary initial care and follow-up treatment quickly.

Clearing Up Second Opinions and Disputes

Beyond basic treatment, the bill also integrates PAs and NPs into the dispute resolution process. If there’s a disagreement between the employee and the government over an injury, both sides can select a provider for a second opinion. This bill now allows those selections to be a PA or NP (Section 8123(a)). If the two selected providers disagree, the law previously required the selection of a "third physician." The new language changes this to an "additional physician," which, thanks to the new definitions in the bill, allows for the selection of a PA or NP for that final tie-breaking opinion as well. This flexibility is crucial because it expands the pool of qualified experts available to resolve complex claims, which should speed up the process.

The Fine Print: What to Watch For

While this change is overwhelmingly positive for increasing access, there is one detail worth noting: the authorization for PAs and NPs is tied directly to the "scope of their practice as defined by State law." This means that what a PA or NP can legally do for a federal worker’s comp claim might vary slightly depending on the state where the care is delivered. For most routine injuries, this won't matter, but for complex claims, it’s a detail that the Department of Labor (DOL) will have to manage. Speaking of the DOL, they have a deadline: the bill requires the Secretary of Labor to finalize all necessary rules to implement these changes within six months of the bill becoming law. This short timeline suggests that the expanded access should roll out quickly, which is good news for federal employees who need timely care.