How Do I Change Doctors Under Federal Workers’ Comp?

If your treating doctor retires or stops practicing, you’re not stuck — you can switch physicians. But the process has two distinct steps, and one of them is much harder than the other.

Let’s walk through how it works.

Step 1: Find a new doctor willing to treat federal workers’ comp patients.

For many people, this is the toughest part. Some areas of the country are what we call medical deserts — places where it’s hard to find medical professionals at all, let alone one who handles federal OWCP cases.

Here are a few ways to start the search:

• Use the OWCP provider lookup tool. It’s not perfect or always up-to-date, but it’s a starting point.

• Ask friends or colleagues for recommendations.

• Ask your retiring doctor to refer you to someone in the area.

Finding a willing physician is often the longest part of the process.

Step 2: Get OWCP authorization to change physicians.

Changing doctors requires approval from the Office of Workers' Compensation Programs — but when your doctor retires, approval is usually straightforward.

You’ll need to provide:

• A note from the retiring doctor’s office confirming they are retiring and can no longer treat you.

• The name, address, phone number, and specialty of your new treating physician.

Once you have that information, you submit it through E-Comp. In retirement situations, approval typically comes through quickly because the change is necessary and well-documented.

Important note:

Changing doctors because your provider retired is easy. Changing doctors simply because you don’t like them — that’s a different process, with different rules, and often more complicated. That’s a topic for another video.

If you’re unsure where to begin or want help making sure your change is approved smoothly, we handle these situations every day at Shapiro Federal.

Every Schedule Award and compensation case is unique. The Office of Workers’ Compensation Programs (OWCP) does not publish fixed timelines or guaranteed outcomes. Benefits depend on your medical evidence, impairment rating, and OWCP’s review process. The information provided here is for general educational purposes only and should not be taken as legal advice. For guidance on your specific claim, consult with an experienced federal workers’ compensation attorney.