The American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 was signed by President Biden on March 11, 2021. With this new law in place, it is easier for federal workers diagnosed with COVID-19 to get coverage under the Federal Employees’ Compensation Act (FECA). As a DOL provider, this provision could affect you in a number of ways. Before we get into what The American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 can mean for you as a provider or a federal employee, let’s begin by discussing the impact of the provision.
The Impact of The American Rescue Plan Act of 2021
As outlined by the DOL, The American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 means
- Any COVID-19 claim filed under the FECA that was accepted for COVID-19 prior to March 12, 2021, is not impacted because coverage for benefits has already been extended.
- Any COVID-19 claim filed under the FECA that was denied or withdrawn prior to March 12, 2021, is eligible for review under the new eligibility requirements.
- Any COVID-19 claim filed under the FECA on or after March 12, 2021, will be reviewed solely under the new eligibility requirements.
Additionally, “Section 4016 of the law provides that a federal employee who is diagnosed with COVID-19 and carried out duties that required contact with patients, members of the public, or co-workers, or included a risk of exposure to the novel coronavirus during a covered period of exposure prior to the diagnosis, is deemed to have an injury that is proximately caused by employment.”
What Does The American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 Mean for Federal Employees?
So, what exactly does this mean for you as a federal employee? In some cases, you can expect no change. For example, if you previously filed a COVID-19 claim under the FECA that was accepted by OWCP.
But what if you previously filed a COVID-19 claim under the FECA that was denied by OWCP based on a lack of federal exposure or a lack of medical evidence establishing causal relationship? In this case, you can expect to hear from the DOL office in the next 30-45 days.
Finally, the DOL outlines what happens if you have never filed a COVID-19 claim under the FECA and you believe you have contracted COVID-19 as a result of your federal employment.
This means you will need to file a CA-1 (Federal Employee’s Notice of Traumatic Injury and Claim for Continuation of Pay/Compensation). This is done through the Employees’ Compensation Operations and Management Portal (ECOMP). It can be accessed at: https://www.ecomp.dol.gov.
Impact on Providers
The American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 will also have an effect on billing guidelines for many DOL providers. Depending on the kind of services you provide, these changes may or may not be significant.
Are you looking for help to ensure you’re in compliance with these new guidelines? RevStream Services can help. In addition to our comprehensive RCM services, we are also here to help you navigate the complicated world of medical billing.
Contact us today so we can get to know you and your practice and find out how we can help.