Kansas City OWCP Doctors: How to Choose the Right Provider
By Dr. Matt Gianforte, DC · Federal Injury Centers of Kansas City · Updated October 2026
If you are a federal employee in the Kansas City area and you got hurt at work, one of the first questions is simple: who should treat me?
This article explains your rights under the Federal Employees’ Compensation Act (FECA) when it comes to picking a doctor. It covers how to change doctors later, what to look for in a provider, and the rules on chiropractic care, stated plainly.
You choose your first doctor
Here’s what I need you to know first. Under FECA, you have the right to your initial choice of physician. That comes straight from the regulations at 20 CFR 10.300(d).
Your employer should tell you about that right. The employer must let you select a qualified physician, after telling you about any physicians OWCP has excluded from the program.
There is no OWCP “approved” roster of doctors you have to pick from. OWCP keeps a record of excluded providers, not a list of approved ones. Your physician can be:
- A doctor in private practice
- A doctor in a health maintenance organization (HMO)
- A doctor employed by a federal agency, such as Veterans Affairs
In an emergency, any qualified physician may give the first treatment for a work injury.
Enrollment: how your doctor gets paid
You see, choosing a doctor and getting that doctor paid are two different steps. The Department of Labor says medical providers must be enrolled with OWCP to receive payment for treating injured federal employees.
Enrollment is how a provider sets up billing with OWCP. It is a billing step for the provider, not a list of doctors OWCP has picked for you.
So when you call a clinic, ask two plain questions:
- “Are you enrolled with OWCP to bill for federal workers’ compensation?”
- “Will you complete the OWCP forms and reports my claim needs?”
If you had a traumatic injury, your employer may also issue a Form CA-16. That form authorizes examination and treatment.
The employer issues it, usually within four hours of the injury, and it names the physician or facility. A CA-16 covers treatment for up to 60 days from the date of injury unless OWCP ends it sooner.
Changing doctors later
Your first choice is yours to make. After that, a change usually needs OWCP’s approval (20 CFR 10.316).
There is one exception. If your treating doctor refers you to a specialist, you don’t need OWCP’s approval to see that specialist.
For any other change, send OWCP a written request that explains why you want to switch. The Department of Labor’s FAQ says to include the new physician’s name, specialty and contact information, and to sign the request.
The regulations say requests are often approved when:
- You want to move from a general practitioner to a physician who specializes in your kind of injury
- You moved and need a doctor closer to home
Your employer cannot approve a change of physician. Only OWCP can.
A “second opinion” means something different under FECA
Under FECA, a second opinion exam is one OWCP sets up and pays for (20 CFR 10.320 and 10.322). OWCP picks that doctor. You must attend, and OWCP reimburses reasonable travel and lost wages for the exam.
That is separate from you asking to change your own treating doctor. If you want a new treating doctor, use the written request described above.
What to look for in an OWCP provider
A good OWCP doctor has to do two jobs well: treat you, and write down the medical facts in a way OWCP can use. Here is what matters most.
Experience with the CA-17 and CA-20
The CA-17 is the duty status report. It tells your employer what you can and can’t do at work, such as how long you can stand or how much you can lift. Employers use it to monitor your progress and plan light duty.
The CA-20 is the attending physician’s report. It gives OWCP the diagnosis, the history of the injury, the findings, and the doctor’s opinion on whether the condition is related to work.
Ask whether the office completes these forms routinely. A provider who has never seen them will be learning on your claim.
Causal-relationship reports
OWCP needs more than a diagnosis. It needs a doctor’s reasoned opinion explaining how your work caused or aggravated your condition. This is often called a causal-relationship narrative.
A one-line note that says “work related” usually isn’t enough. The report should connect your specific job duties to the medical findings and explain why.
This matters most for occupational disease claims filed on a Form CA-2, where the injury built up over time.
OWCP enrollment and billing
Confirm the provider is enrolled with OWCP. Once your case is accepted, an enrolled provider bills OWCP directly for covered care.
A doctor who learns your job
A letter carrier walks miles and lifts tubs and parcels. A TSA officer lifts bags and stands for hours. Your doctor should ask about your actual duties, because the restrictions and the causal opinion both depend on them.
Questions worth asking on the first call
- Are you enrolled with OWCP?
- Do you complete CA-17 and CA-20 forms?
- Will you write a narrative report on causal relationship if OWCP asks for one?
- Can I get copies of the reports you send?
- Is my condition something your type of license can treat under FECA?
That last question leads to the next section.
The chiropractic limit, stated plainly
I’m a chiropractor, so I want to be straight with you about this. FECA limits what chiropractic care OWCP will pay for.
Under 5 U.S.C. 8101 and 20 CFR 10.311, reimbursable chiropractic care is limited to manual manipulation of the spine to correct a subluxation shown by x-ray. The chiropractor’s report must state the diagnosis of subluxation and that x-rays support it.
A chiropractor may also provide physical-therapy-type services, but only under the direction of, and as prescribed by, a qualified physician.
What that means for you:
- If you have a spinal problem with a subluxation shown on x-ray, a chiropractor can be your treating physician for that care.
- If your injury is a shoulder, knee, wrist or other non-spinal condition, a chiropractor is not the right treating physician under FECA. You’ll want a medical doctor (MD), osteopathic doctor (DO) or other physician whose license covers that care.
- Many claims need more than one kind of provider. That is normal.
Any provider who tells you chiropractic care is covered for everything under FECA is not giving you accurate information.
A few practical tips
- Bring your paperwork. Bring your claim number if you have one, your CA-1 or CA-2, any CA-16, and a short written timeline of how the injury happened.
- Be honest about symptoms. Don’t downplay them, and don’t overstate them. Accurate notes help everyone.
- Keep copies. Keep your own file of every form and report.
- Think about distance. OWCP generally treats a round trip of up to 100 miles as reasonable for medical travel. Longer non-emergency trips need written approval first. Our mileage guide explains the details.
If you are new to the claim process, start with our overview of FECA and our guide to filing a CA-1.
How we can help
Federal Injury Centers of Kansas City is an OWCP-enrolled clinic in Shawnee, Kansas, led by Dr. Matt Gianforte, DC. We provide medical care for injured federal employees and the documentation OWCP needs: CA-17 duty status reports, CA-20 attending physician’s reports, and causal-relationship narratives.
Our chiropractic care under FECA is limited to spinal manipulation to correct a subluxation shown by x-ray. When your condition needs a different kind of provider, we’ll tell you so.
We are not a law firm and we don’t represent claimants. You can learn more on our DOL/OWCP care page.
Request a consultation or call (913) 355-6648.
Sources
- 20 CFR Part 10 (eCFR), including 10.300, 10.311, 10.316 and 10.320
- 5 U.S.C. 8101, definitions of “physician” and “medical services”
- DOL OWCP: Medical provider information and enrollment
- DOL OWCP: FECA frequently asked questions
This article is general information, not legal or medical advice. For decisions about your claim, contact OWCP or your representative.
