Public Employee Press

Better cancer coverage for 9/11 victims

The outcry against the exclusion of cancer from the list of 9/11-related health conditions covered by a federally funded health program led to reconsideration, and in April, a scientific committee issued its recommendation that the Zadroga Law for 9/11 victims cover 30 types of cancer.

On Sept. 10, Dr. John Howard, administrator of the World Trade Center Health Program, formally added certain types of cancer to the List of WTC-Related Health Conditions. The publication of this final rule marks an important step in the effort to provide treatment and care to 9/11 responders and survivors through the WTC Health Program.

This addition becomes effective 30 days after publication in the Federal Register. Members of the WTC Health Program should contact their current Clinical Center of Excellence to begin the process of having their condition certified. Nonmembers who may be eligible can find information about applying to the WTC Health Program on its web site at www.cdc.gov/wtc or by contacting the call center at 1-888-982-4748.