Advocacy Group Alliance contacts DEEOIC

The Alliance for Nuclear Worker Advocacy Groups, ANWAG, recently submitted a letter to DEEOIC listing suggestions to help lower administrative costs and create a time friendly claim process for the EEOICPA.

One suggestion by ANWAG was to have the claimants who have documented exposure to uranium and/or plutonium and a RECA covered disease, to be automatically paid. The claims would not need to be sent for medical review by a district medical consultant because the government has accepted that these exposures can result in certain diseases. This would not only cut down on contract costs with the district medical consultants but it would also create consistency in claim approvals and administrative costs would be less due to less appeals being filed.

Rachel Leiton, Director of DEEOIC, responded to the letter stating that while she agrees with the suggestion and feels the same positive outcomes are possible, she is unable to implement these without congressional action.

Another ANWAG suggestion was for the Resource Centers to strongly advise workers/survivors seeking to file a claim based on symptoms alone, to receive a firm medical diagnosis before the claim process is started. The belief is that this would reduce the manpower needed for a claims examiner to review a file that is known to be lacking in needed evidence.

The DEEOIC’s response was an agreement that there would be less effort needed from the claims examiners and that less finances and resources would be used. According to policy though, this is not possible because DOL is required to assist ALL individuals seeking to file a claim.

Ms. Leiton stated that even though she is unable to adopt these suggestions she is open to outside suggestions that might make those processes easier for claimants to understand, less costly to administer, and more likely to result in consistent claim outcomes, regardless of where the claim is developed or adjudicated.

You can click here for full text on the original ANWAG letter and click here for Rachel Leitons letter in response. Please click here for the ability to message your legislators.