Senate Committee Passes Bill to Increase Provider Options for Federal Workers

The U.S. Senate Homeland Security and Government Affairs Committee passed a bill that would authorize physician assistants and nurse practitioners to treat injured federal workers. The committee on Wednesday voted 12-3 to pass S. 131, by Sens. Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio, and Susan Collins, R-Maine. The measure, along with companion bill HR 618, would repeal a provision in the Federal Employees' Compensation Act that prohibits physician assistants and nurse practitioners from treating compensable workplace injuries. Federal lawmakers considered a similar proposal in 2022. But after the House ...