History
On September 11th, many rushed in to help. Workers and volunteers from a variety of trades toiled around the clock to search for the missing and clean up the dust and twisted steel from the disaster sites. People revitalized lower Manhattan by returning to their homes or going back to work and school. Now many of them are sick.
It is estimated that over 400,000 people were exposed to toxic contaminants, risks of traumatic injury, and physically and emotionally stressful conditions in the days, weeks and months following the attacks. Common 9/11 conditions include chronic cough, asthma, sinus congestion, certain cancers, stress-related disorders, and depression among the many other symptoms and conditions.
On January 2, 2011, President Obama signed the James Zadroga 9/11 Health and Compensation Act of 2010 (Zadroga Act) into law. The Zadroga Act created the WTC Health Program and reopened the September 11th Victim Compensation Fund (VCF). The Program provides monitoring and treatment for specific health conditions that have been determined to be 9/11-related. The VCF provides monetary compensation to individuals or surviving family members whose injuries, illnesses, or deaths were related to 9/11.
The WTC Health Program officially launched in July 2011, replacing two earlier 9/11-related health programs— the Medical Monitoring and Treatment Program and the WTC Environmental Health Center Community Program. The current Program is housed under the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and administered by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
If you were previously enrolled in one of the earlier 9/11 health programs, the WTC Health Program worked with the Medical Monitoring and Treatment Program and WTC Environmental Health Center Community Program to enroll you into the new Program. You do not need to do anything unless you were notified that you need to re-enroll. You will continue to receive quality medical benefits for 9/11-related health conditions, including inpatient and outpatient treatment and medications, under the new WTC Health Program.