The Future of Cancer Coverage for Women Federal Firefighters is Uncertain under Trump
It Took Nearly Three Years to Win Presumptive Workers’ Compensation Coverage for Breast, Cervical, and Other Cancers
It took nearly three years to win presumptive workers’ compensation coverage for breast, cervical, and other cancers that federal firefighters who work for federal agencies may develop due to hazardous exposures on the job. Now, just weeks after the Labor Department added coverage for those illnesses, firefighters worry the gains may be in jeopardy after the Trump administration deleted information about the expansion of coverage for cancers that mostly affect women and transgender firefighters from a federal webpage and dodged questions about whether it will uphold the policy change made in the waning days of the Biden administration.
A Special Claims Unit Was Established in 2022 to Process Federal Firefighter Claims
The Labor Department’s special claims unit, established in 2022, processes all federal firefighter claims and provides a streamlined path for those with covered conditions. Wildland firefighters and advocacy groups representing them celebrated that year when federal officials moved to expedite workers’ compensation coverage of cancers tied to their jobs. It was recognition that the dangers of battling wildfires extend long after a blaze is extinguished.
The List of Cancers Federal Officials Tagged for Streamlined Claims Processes
The list of cancers federal officials tagged for streamlined claims processes through the Labor Department’s Office of Workers’ Compensation Programs included esophageal, colorectal, prostate, testicular, kidney, bladder, brain, lung, thyroid, multiple myeloma, non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, leukemia, mesothelioma, and melanoma.
But What About Female Reproductive Cancers?
At first, federal officials excluded breast, ovarian, cervical, and uterine cancers, creating a coverage gap for more than 2,700 people, or about 16% of the more than 17,000 federal wildland firefighters working for the Forest Service and the Interior Department. Firefighters who are dispatched to federal lands, like in national forests and national parks, and sometimes assist county and state crews, as they did when fires swept into Los Angeles in January.
Advocacy Groups and Firefighters Reacted with Disappointment
“This policy change is really important to ensure that those who devote their lives to protecting the public and communities continue to receive coverage through the special claims unit,” said Pete Dutchick, a federal firefighter and volunteer with the advocacy group Grassroots Wildland Firefighters.
The Change in Policy and Its Impact
In a last-minute move, federal officials added the four female reproductive cancers to the list in January, and the Labor Department’s special claims unit processed claims for these conditions immediately. The change meant that claims for federal wildland firefighters with ovarian, breast, or uterine cancer were directed to the special claims unit and expedited processing.
Conclusion
The future of cancer coverage for women federal firefighters remains uncertain under the Trump administration, which has deleted information about the expansion of coverage for cancers that mostly affect women and transgender firefighters from a federal webpage and dodged questions about whether it will uphold the policy change made in the waning days of the Biden administration.
FAQs
* What is the Labor Department’s special claims unit?
The Labor Department’s special claims unit, established in 2022, processes all federal firefighter claims and provides a streamlined path for those with covered conditions.
* What is the list of cancers added to the list of streamlined claims processes?
The list of cancers added to the list of streamlined claims processes includes breast, ovarian, cervical, and uterine cancers.
* How many federal wildland firefighters are affected by the new policy change?
More than 2,700 people, or about 16% of the more than 17,000 federal wildland firefighters working for the Forest Service and the Interior Department, are affected by the new policy change.
* What is the impact of the policy change on federal firefighters?
The policy change provides a streamlined path for federal firefighters with breast, ovarian, cervical, and uterine cancers to receive workers’ compensation claims.
