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Uranium Mine Worker
RECA-Compensable Diseases and Conditions
- Primary lung cancer (including
any physiological condition of the lung, trachea
or bronchus that is recognized as lung cancer
- Pulmonary fibrosis, fibrosis
of the lung
- Silicosis
- Cor pulmonale related to fibrosis
of the lung
- Pneumoconiosis
On this page:
Documentation or Proof of Disease
In addition to providing documentation that establishes
a claimant's inclusion in one of the eligibility categories
described above, the claimant must also provide proof
that they have been diagnosed with at least one of
the compensable diseases. The records or documentation
required vary according to the condition and the vital
status of the person on whose behalf compensation
is being sought.
General Information
- All medical documentation, contemporaneous records,
and other records or documents submitted by a claimant
or eligible surviving beneficiary as proof of disease
must be originals, or certified copies of the originals,
unless it is impossible to obtain an original or
certified copy of the original. If it is impossible
for a claimant to provide an original or certified
copy of an original, the claimant or eligible surviving
beneficiary must provide a written statement with
the uncertified copy setting forth the reason why
it is impossible to provide an original or a certified
copy of an original. All documents submitted by
a claimant or eligible surviving beneficiary must
have a stamp or other indication of their authenticity.
- If a claimant was diagnosed as having one of the
compensable cancers in Arizona, Colorado, Nevada,
New Mexico, Utah or Wyoming, the claimant or eligible
surviving beneficiary does not need to submit medical
documentation of disease at the time the claim is
filed (although medical documentation subsequently
may be required). Instead, the claimant or eligible
surviving beneficiary may submit (with the claim),
an Authorization to Release Medical and Other
Information, valid in the state of diagnosis,
that authorizes the RECA Program to contact the
appropriate state cancer or tumor registry. The
RECA Program will accept, as proof of medical condition,
verification from the state cancer or tumor registry
that it possesses medical records or abstracts of
medical records that contain a verified diagnosis
of one of the specified compensable diseases. If
the designated state does not possess medical records
or abstracts of medical records that contain a verified
diagnosis of one of the specified compensable diseases,
the RECA Program will notify the claimant or eligible
surviving beneficiary and allow that individual
the opportunity to submit the required written medical
documentation.
- For the purposes of this Program, the definition
of a physician is as follows:
- A physician who is employed by
(a) the Indian Health Service or
(b) the Department of Veterans Affairs; or
(c) has a documented, ongoing physician/patient
relationship with the claimant.
Proof of cancer
Whether the person with cancer is living or deceased,
any of the following records may be submitted as proof
of the disease:
- Primary cancer of the lung
- pathology report of tissue biopsy or resection,
including, but not limited to specimens obtained
by any of the following methods:
- Surgical resection
- endoscopic endobronchial or transbronchial
biopsy
- bronchial brushings and washings
- pleural fluid cytology
- fine needle aspirate
- pleural biopsy
- sputum cytology
- autopsy report
- bronchoscopy report, with or without biopsy
- one of the following summary medical reports
- physician summary report
- hospital discharge summary report
- radiotherapy summary report
- operative report
- medical oncology summary or consultation
report
- report of one of the following radiologic studies:
- computerized tomography (CT) scan
- magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)
- X-rays of the chest
- Chest tomograms
- death certificate, provided that it is signed
by a physician at the time of death
Proof of Non-malignant Lung
Disease (Pulmonary Fibrosis, Fibrosis of
the Lung, Silicosis, or Pneumoconiosis)
If the person with non-malignant lung disease is
deceased, any of the following forms
of medical documentation may be submitted as proof
of the condition:
- pathology report of tissue biopsy
autopsy report
- if an x-ray exists, the x-ray and
interpretive reports of the x-ray by a maximum of
two NIOSH certified “B” readers, classifying the
existence of disease of category 1/0 or higher according
to a 1989 report of the International Labor Office
(known as the “ILO”), or subsequent revisions
- if no x-rays exist, an x-ray report
- physician summary report
- hospital discharge summary report
- hospital admitting report
- death certificate, provided that it is signed
by a physician at the time of death
- documentation specified below for a living claimant
If the person with non-malignant lung disease is
living, at a minimum the following
medical records must be submitted:
Either
And ONE of the following:
- a chest x-ray (PA and lateral views) administered
in accordance with standard techniques accompanied
by interpretive reports of the x-ray by a maximum
of two NIOSH certified “B” readers, classifying
the existence of disease of category 1/0 or higher
according to a 1989 report of the International
Labor Office (known as the “ILO”), or subsequent
revisions
- high-resolution computed tomography (HRCT) scans
including computer assisted tomography (CAT) scans,
magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans, and positron
emission tomography (PET) scans and interpretive
reports of such scans
- pathology reports of tissue biopsies
- pulmonary function tests indicating restrictive
lung function and consisting of three reproducible
time/volume tracings recording the results of the
forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1) and
the forced vital capacity (FVC) administered and
reported in accordance with the Standardization
of Spirometry – 1994 Update by the
American Thoracic Society, and reflecting values
for FEV1 or FVC that are less than or equal to the
lower limit of normal for an individual of the claimant's
age, sex, height, and ethnicity.
Proof of Cor Pulmonale
related to Fibrosis of the Lung
If the person with cor pulmonale related
to fibrosis of the lung is deceased, the
same documentation as is required for proof of non-malignant
lung disease must be submitted as proof of the existence
of fibrosis of the lung.
If the person with cor pulmonale related
to fibrosis of the lung is living, the same
documentation as is required for proof of non-malignant
lung disease must be submitted as proof of the existence
of fibrosis of the lung.
In addition, regardless of whether
the person with cor pulmonale related to fibrosis
of the lung is deceased or living,
one or more of the following medical records must
be submitted:
- right heart catheterization
- cardiology summary or consultation report
- electrocardiogram
- echocardiogram
- physician summary report
- hospital discharge report
- autopsy report
- death certificate, provided that it is signed
by a physician at the time of death
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Radiation Exposure Compensation
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The Radiation Exposure Compensation Act provides for compassionate payments to individuals who contracted certain cancers and other serious diseases as a result of their exposure to radiation released during above-ground nuclear weapons tests or as a result of their exposure to radiation during employment in underground uranium mines.
RESEP Clinical Guidelines describe the eligible diseases, tests, medical procedures and documentation required to establish eligibility in each of the exposure categories.
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