The U.S. Senate Homeland Security and Government Affairs Committee on Aug. 6 approved a bipartisan bill led by U.S. Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME) that would cover services physician assistants and nurse practitioners provide to injured federal workers under workers’ compensation. The Improving Access to Workers’ Compensation for Injured Federal Workers Act, S. 3296, which Sen. Collins sponsored alongside lead cosponsor U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), now heads to the Senate floor for consideration. Nurse practitioners and physician assistants help to fill in this gap by providing quality medical services to local communities,” Sen. Collins said. “By allowing injured federal workers to be treated by these professionals, our bipartisan bill would help prevent the need for long and difficult travel, reduce wait times for care, and improve employees’ overall health and well-being,” added the lawmaker. Currently, federal employees may select a physician assistant or a nurse practitioner as their primary healthcare provider within the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program.