Articles · Federal workers

Hurt working for the government? Your care can come home.

Federal and postal workers with an accepted OWCP claim can receive skilled care at home — ordered by their physician, authorized by the Department of Labor, at no cost to you. The catch is the paperwork, and the paperwork is manageable.

What OWCP covers at home.

  • Skilled nursing, physical and occupational therapy, home health aide services, and medical social work — for the accepted injury or illness.
  • Also possible: durable medical equipment, home-safety modifications, and travel reimbursement tied to the accepted condition.
  • Not just post-hospital: when your physician orders it and OWCP authorizes it, care is covered on an ongoing basis while medically necessary.

The three things that must line up.

  1. The care is for your accepted injury.
  2. It is ordered by your treating physician.
  3. It is authorized by OWCP, with documentation that meets FECA standards.

That third step is where care breaks at most agencies — documentation that does not match the accepted diagnosis, or a renewal nobody tracked. Knowing this system cold is the difference. The complete OWCP guide →

Common questions.

My claim is not accepted yet. Can care start?

Home health is authorized only after the injury is accepted — getting the claim accepted comes first (Form CA-1 for traumatic injury, CA-2 for occupational disease, filed through your employer).

Do I pay anything?

No. Authorized care for the accepted injury comes at no cost to you; OWCP pays the provider directly.

Sources: U.S. Department of Labor, OWCP / FECA.

Accepted claim and need care at home?

Ask your physician to send the order to Alara — we track the OWCP authorization and start care.

Alara helps you understand and reach benefits you may already be entitled to. It does not replace the Department of Labor, your Resource Center, your physician, or any federal agency. Nothing here is legal advice or a coverage or eligibility determination.