Choose Your Own Doctor
Under the LHWCA, Choose Your Own Doctor
No network. No approved list.
The Department of Labor states this plainly: there is no enrollment program and no network of approved medical providers under the LHWCA. That's a real difference from state workers' compensation, where an employer's provider network often decides who you see.
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You are entitled to select a physician of your choice to treat the effects of your injury. Your employer and their insurance carrier do not get to pick for you.
Your first choice is your free choice
This is the part most workers don't know, and it matters more than anything else on this page.
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You get one free choice of attending physician. After you've made it, you generally cannot switch doctors without the prior written consent of the employer or carrier, or of the OWCP district director.
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There are paths to a change. If your initial choice wasn't a specialist whose services your injury actually requires, consent is supposed to be given. In other cases, a change can be approved on a showing of good cause, and the district director can order a change when one is warranted. Your treating physician can also refer you to a specialist when your injury calls for one.
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But none of that is automatic, and none of it is fast. The practical takeaway: pick a physician who knows this system before you're in it, not after.
Emergencies work differently
If your injury needs immediate care and you're in no condition to select a physician, your employer selects one. Once you're able to make a choice. You can change with written authorization from the employer or, if they refuse or fail to act, from the district director.
Distance matters
The choice has to be reasonable. Regulations point to roughly 25 miles from the place of injury or from your home as a generally reasonable distance to travel, taking into account your condition and how you'd get there. Our Torrance clinic sits inside that radius for the Los Angeles and Long Beach terminals, San Pedro, Wilmington, Carson, and Harbor City. Our San Diego clinic covers the San Diego waterfront and the shipyards.
What kind of doctor can treat you
The Act defines "physician" to include medical doctors, surgeons, osteopathic practitioners, podiatrists, dentists, clinical psychologists, and optometrists, each within the scope of their practice under state law.
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Chiropractors occupy a narrower position. Under the Act a chiropractor may serve as a treating physician only where the injury involves a spinal subluxation demonstrated by x-ray, and reimbursable treatment is limited to manual manipulation of the spine. For an injury to another body part, a chiropractor cannot be the treating physician.
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Naturopaths, faith healers, and other practitioners not named in the Act aren't "physicians" for these purposes, though they may provide treatment on a prescription from an authorized treating physician.
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The Department of Labor also maintains a list of debarred providers. If you select a physician who has been debarred, your employer or carrier may not be responsible for those bills.
Why this page exists
Because most injured workers never find out they had a choice until they've already used it. If you're reading this and you haven't been seen yet, you're in the best possible position.
Navigating Your Medical Rights
Under the LHWCA, you have the right to choose your own physician. You are not required to see a doctor selected by your employer or insurance carrier. This ensures your medical care is focused solely on your recovery and accurate documentation of your injury.
Have questions about your claim or need a medical evaluation?