A CA-16 is the Authorization for Examination and/or Treatment that your federal agency can issue after a traumatic work injury. It authorizes a named physician or facility to examine and treat you for up to 60 days while your claim is being processed. You do not strictly need one to see a doctor, because under FECA you choose your own physician. But if your injury happened on a single shift and you want care to start quickly with fewer payment questions, asking your supervisor for a CA-16 right away is worth it.
If you work for a federal agency in Jacksonville, whether at NAS Jacksonville, Naval Station Mayport, a USPS facility, a VA clinic, TSA at the airport or another federal office, your work injury falls under the Federal Employees’ Compensation Act (FECA), not Florida’s state workers’ compensation system. Here is how the CA-16 works and what to bring to your first visit.
Key facts
- For a traumatic injury, the employing agency authorizes examination and treatment by issuing Form CA-16 within 4 hours of the claimed injury, or within 48 hours after verbal authorization (20 CFR 10.300).
- A CA-16 authorizes treatment for up to 60 days and must name the physician or medical facility.
- An agency is not required to issue a CA-16 more than one week after the injury.
- The employing agency must advise the employee of the right to choose a qualified physician.
- The CA-16 is used for traumatic injuries (CA-1 claims), not occupational disease (CA-2) claims.
What a CA-16 does
When a federal employee is hurt on the job, the claim itself can take time to be reviewed and accepted by the Office of Workers’ Compensation Programs (OWCP). The CA-16 bridges that gap. Issued by your agency, it authorizes the physician or facility named on it to examine and treat you for the work injury for up to 60 days.
The form has two parts. Your supervisor or agency completes the authorization, including the facility or physician. The treating physician then completes a medical portion describing the examination, findings and treatment.
When and how a CA-16 is issued
Federal regulations at 20 CFR 10.300 set out the timing:
- For a traumatic injury, the agency should issue the CA-16 within 4 hours of the claimed injury.
- If the agency gives verbal authorization first, the written CA-16 should follow within 48 hours.
- The agency is not required to issue a CA-16 more than one week after the injury.
- The form must name the physician or facility, and the agency must tell you about your right to choose a qualified physician.
In practice, ask your supervisor for a CA-16 as soon as you report the injury, and tell them which clinic or physician you want named on it.
Do you need a CA-16 before your first visit?
Not necessarily. Here is how it usually plays out:
- Traumatic injury, reported promptly: this is exactly what the CA-16 is for. Ask for it before or at your first visit so the authorization is in place.
- Your agency did not issue one: you can still be seen. Payment for early care then generally depends on OWCP accepting your claim, so our front desk will walk through your options before your visit.
- Occupational disease (CA-2): the CA-16 is generally not used. Care is typically authorized once OWCP accepts the claim.
- More than a week has passed: the agency is no longer required to issue one, but you can still file your claim and seek care.
Either way, you choose your physician. Under 20 CFR 10.300, a federal employee may select a private or federal physician to treat the work injury.
What a CA-16 does not do
- It is not your claim. You still need to file a CA-1 for a traumatic injury, usually through ECOMP. Filing the CA-1 within 30 days also matters for Continuation of Pay.
- It does not last forever. Authorization runs up to 60 days. After that, ongoing care depends on your accepted claim and the medical evidence.
- It does not expand what OWCP pays chiropractors. Under FECA, chiropractic payment is limited to manual manipulation of the spine to correct a subluxation shown on X-ray, plus the related exam and X-ray.
For the other forms in a federal claim, see our OWCP forms guide.
What to bring to your first visit
- the CA-16, if your agency issued one
- a copy of your CA-1 or CA-2, or your OWCP claim number if you have it
- your supervisor’s name and your agency’s contact for workers’ compensation
- a description of your job duties and how the injury happened
- any ER or urgent care records and imaging reports
- a list of medications and prior injuries
What happens at your first visit
Your provider takes a detailed history of the injury and your job, examines you, and orders tests when the exam calls for them. Federal rules (20 CFR 10.330) describe what a medical report should include, such as the history, findings, diagnosis, treatment plan, and an opinion with medical reasons on whether the work injury caused the condition. Those details become the foundation of your claim.
If you have work restrictions, your provider will document them, often on a CA-17 duty status report, so your agency knows what you can safely do. If physical therapy is part of the plan, the Department of Labor notes it is usually authorized for the first 120 days from the date of injury, and it must be prescribed by a qualified physician.
Federal work injuries in Jacksonville
Jacksonville has a large federal workforce, from the Navy installations at NAS Jacksonville and Naval Station Mayport to USPS processing and delivery, VA clinics, TSA at the airport and other federal offices. Common injuries include lifting strains to the back and neck, falls, vehicle crashes on the job and repetitive strain. Whatever the injury, the steps are the same: report it, ask for a CA-16 if it was a traumatic injury, file your CA-1 or CA-2, and choose a physician.
Our Jacksonville clinics for federal workers
East Coast Injury Clinic treats federal employees injured on the job, and our federal workers’ compensation team handles the clinic-side OWCP paperwork. Bring your CA-16 or claim number and we will take it from there. Learn more about our federal OWCP injury care. You can be seen at our Southside clinic at 10550 Deerwood Park Blvd, Suite 609 (32256), near JTB and I-295, or at our North Jacksonville clinic at 13453 N Main St, Suite 302 (32218), north of I-295. Both clinics offer the same services and the same hours, Monday to Friday, 9 AM to 6 PM. Call (904) 513-3954 or request an appointment online.
Every federal claim is different. For questions about your rights, a denial or a dispute, talk to your union representative or an attorney.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a CA-16 form?
Form CA-16, Authorization for Examination and/or Treatment, is issued by a federal employee’s agency after a traumatic work injury. It authorizes the named physician or facility to examine and treat the employee for up to 60 days.
How long is a CA-16 good for?
A CA-16 authorizes treatment for up to 60 days (20 CFR 10.300). After that, ongoing care depends on the accepted claim and the medical evidence.
Who fills out a CA-16?
Your supervisor or agency completes the authorization and names the physician or facility. The treating physician completes the medical portion after examining you.
Can I choose my own doctor with a CA-16?
Yes. Under 20 CFR 10.300, you may choose your physician, and the agency must advise you of that right. Tell your supervisor which clinic or physician you want named on the form.
Does a CA-16 cover occupational disease claims?
Generally no. The CA-16 is used for traumatic injuries filed on a CA-1. For an occupational disease filed on a CA-2, care is typically authorized once OWCP accepts the claim.
What if my supervisor does not give me a CA-16?
You can still file your claim and see a physician of your choice. Payment for early care then generally depends on OWCP accepting the claim. An agency is not required to issue a CA-16 more than a week after the injury.
How is federal work injury care paid for?
Most injury care at East Coast Injury Clinic is covered through one of four paths: auto insurance PIP after a car accident, a personal injury attorney’s Letter of Protection, state workers’ compensation for a work injury, or federal workers’ compensation (OWCP or Longshore) if you are a federal or maritime employee. We also see patients under Medicare, Tricare, VA Community Care, and a limited number of private plans. Our front desk verifies coverage before your first visit and explains exactly what is and is not covered for your specific case, so there are no surprises. Call 904-513-3954 or visit eastcoastinjury.com to start.
