Category Archives: WTC Health Program
Advocates Say Trump’s Budget Threatens 9/11 Healthcare Program
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| President Trump’s proposal would remove the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and place it under the control of the National Institutes for Health. The WTC Health Program would remain with the CDC but without the able assistance from NIOSH, which it has enjoyed since its inception under the Zadroga Act. |
WTC Health Program Statistics Reveal a Quiet Crisis
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| The WTC Health Program, which provides free health screenings and medical treatment for persons affected by the terrorist attacks and toxic fallout, has enrolled more than 83,000 people. More than 16 years after the attacks, the program still enrolls members at a rate of 400 to nearly 900 per month. |
WTC Health Program Takes Steps to Address Wait Times for New Initial Health Evaluations
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| For the last 18 months, the WTC Health Program has seen increased applications to enroll in the program, leading to longer-than-acceptable wait times for initial health screenings and certification. These are necessary not only for WTC Health Program services but also for September 11th Victim Compensation Fund (VCF) benefits. |
From Retired Firefighters to Former High School Students, 9/11 Cancer Victims Continue to Emerge
February 2, 2018 was a particularly sad day for the FDNY. As reported in the New York Daily News, “Retired Firefighter Ronald Svec, 63, died after a nine-year battle with lung and spine cancer he contracted after his time toiling at Ground Zero.” Ret. Lt. Edward Meehan, 53, also died that day, the fifth FDNY member to succumb to a 9/11-related illness already this year…
Why 9/11 Still Matters But Not For The Reasons You Think: Inside the VCF and WTCHP Program
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| Unforeseen health consequences from toxic 9/11 dust have been on the rise for 16 years since September 11th, 2001. Even more shocking; most of the impacted individuals were only caught in the dust cloud or exposed for less than 60 minutes. As a result, many have come down with a host of devastating health conditions ranging from the rarest of cancers to a variety of respiratory diseases—sometimes occurring simultaneously. |
Downtown Teachers and Students Urge Community to Enroll in WTC Health Program
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| This week on Thursday, I had the honor of speaking at a major press conference at New York City’s Stuyvesant High School, which stands in the shadow of the former World Trade Center. Our goal was to let the public know that former students, teachers, local residents, and office workers are developing 9/11-related illnesses at the same alarming rates as the first responders. |
The Burden of Treating Obstructive Sleep Apnea and The Victim Compensation Fund
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| After the government mistakenly guaranteed its residents and workers that the air was safe, it would not be long before thousands of people exposed to the World Trade Center toxic dust began experiencing respiratory and digestive issues that, whether they knew it at the time or not, were linked to their exposure to the looming toxins. |
Michael Barasch Appeared on Sonstein Sessions on January 21, 2018 with Lee Clarke, Special Assistant to the President of Local 1549 of District Council 37 (DC-37)
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| Michael Barasch was invited to appear on the Shelly Sonstein radio show on January 21st. He was interviewed with Lee Clarke, Special Assistant to the President of Local 1549 of District Council 37 (DC-37). They discussed the need for residents, local workers and responders to register with the WTC Health Program and Victim Compensation Fund, if they are certified with a 9/11 illness. |
Hearing Loss: Primary Blast Injury Ear Bilateral is Accepted as a World Trade Center-related Illness
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| Firefighters across the nation have long suspected that the excessive noise produced by the sirens of their emergency vehicles dramatically impacts their hearing. However, only few have sought treatment for their audible injuries caused by the 9/11 primary blast at Ground Zero. |
The Victim Compensation Fund (VCF) will Permanently Close Exactly 3 Years from Today
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| Today marks three years from the date that the Victim Compensation Fund (VCF) will shut its doors forever. While the WTC Health Program (WTCHP) was extended for 75 years, the 9/11 Community will no longer be able to assert claims for compensation for new illnesses or wrongful death after December 18, 2020. Despite the fact that the VCF has awarded over $3 billion to 14,000+ responders, downtown residents, office workers, teachers and students, the reality is that only a fraction of those eligible have registered with the WTCHP and moved forward with a VCF claim. |
