World Trade Center Health Program
World Trade Center (WTC) Health Program
- About the WTC Health Program
- Who Does the WTC Health Program Serve?
- What is Covered Under this Program?
About the WTC Health Program
About the WTC Health Program
James Zadroga was a New York City police officer who died of respiratory disease that was attributed to his participation in the rescue and recovery operations in the rubble of the World Trade Center buildings following the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks. James Zadroga was the first NYPD officer whose death was attributed to exposure to his contact with toxic chemicals at the attack site.
The September 11th Victim Compensation Fund awarded Zadroga a monetary settlement after determining that his exposure to dust at Ground Zero had caused his respiratory illness. The New York City Police Department Medical Board approved his application for permanent disability retirement that same year, after concluding that his illness was related to dust exposure.
The September 11th Victim Compensation Fund was created to provide compensation for any individual (or a personal representative of a deceased individual) who suffered physical harm or was killed as a result of the terrorist-related aircraft crashes of September 11, 2001 or the debris removal efforts that took place in the immediate aftermath of those crashes. The original VCF operated from 2001-2004.
On January 2, 2011, President Obama signed into law the James Zadroga 9/11 Health and Compensation Act of 2010 (Zadroga Act). Title II of the Zadroga Act reactivated the September 11th Victim Compensation Fund. The reactivated VCF opened in October 2011 and was authorized to operate for a period of five years, ending in October 2016.
On December 18, 2015, President Obama signed into law a bill reauthorizing the James Zadroga 9/11 Health and Compensation Act of 2010. This included the reauthorization of the VCF. The new law extended the VCF for five years, allowing individuals to submit their claims until December 18, 2020. The law also included some important changes to the VCF’s policies and procedures for evaluating claims and calculating each claimant’s loss.
On July 29, 2019, President Trump signed into law H.R. 1327, The Never Forget the Heroes: James Zadroga, Ray Pfeifer, and Luis Alvarez Permanent Authorization of the September 11th Victim Compensation Fund Act. The VCF Permanent Authorization Act extends the VCF’s claim filing deadline from December 18, 2020, to October 1, 2090, and appropriates such funds as may be necessary to pay all eligible claims. Additional information is available at the September 11th Victim Compensation Fund website.
The World Trade Center (WTC) Health Program is a limited federal health program administered by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, part of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and is authorized through 2090. The Program provides no-cost medical monitoring and treatment for certified WTC-related health conditions to those directly affected by the 9/11 attacks in New York, the Pentagon, and in Shanksville, Pennsylvania.
The Program also funds medical research into physical and mental health conditions related to 9/11 exposures.
Who Does the WTC Health Program Serve?
Who Does the WTC Health Program Serve?
The WTC Health Program is dedicated to helping those who were there during and after the attacks of September 11, 2001. The Program provides services to the following categories of individuals when the individual meets activity, location, time-period, and minimum hour requirements.
Workers or volunteers who provided rescue, recovery, debris cleanup, and related support services on or in the aftermath of the September 11, 2001, attacks for certain amounts of time during the period between September 11, 2001, and July 31, 2002.
There are three types of responders: FDNY Responders, WTC General Responders (including NYPD), and Pentagon and Shanksville, PA, Responders.
Individuals who were present in the New York City (NYC) Disaster Area in the dust or dust cloud on September 11, 2001; who worked, resided, or attended school, childcare, or adult daycare in the NYC Disaster Area from September 11, 2001, to July 31, 2002; who were eligible for certain residential grants or whose place of employment was eligible for certain grants following the September 11, 2001, attacks.
What is Covered Under this Program?
What is Covered Under this Program?
The WTC Health Program pays for medically necessary treatment of certified conditions, as well any certified medically associated health condition(s), as long as the treatment is provided by a WTC Health Program affiliated provider or pharmacy. The member MUST have a certified or medically associated health condition(s) in order to be covered.
Members can access services without having to pay any co-payments, deductibles, or other out-of-pocket expenses for medically necessary treatment of certified WTC-related health conditions.