30.405—After selecting a treating physician, may an employee choose to be treated by another physician instead?
(a)
OWCP will provide the employee with an opportunity to designate a treating physician when it accepts the claim. When the physician originally selected to provide treatment for an occupational illness or a covered illness refers the employee to a specialist for further medical care, the employee need not consult OWCP for approval. In all other instances, however, the employee must submit a written request to OWCP with his or her reasons for desiring a change of physician.
(b)
OWCP will approve the request if it determines that the reasons submitted are sufficient. Requests that are often approved include those for transfer of care from a general practitioner to a physician who specializes in treating the occupational illnesses or covered illnesses covered by EEOICPA, or the need for a new physician when an employee has moved.
(c)
If a claimant disagrees with the decision of OWCP that insufficient reasons for a change of physician have been submitted, he or she may utilize the adjudicatory process described in subpart D of this part.