Black Lung Benefits Story Archives - West Virginia Public Broadcasting

U.S. Department Of Labor To Hold Black Lung Benefits Educational Events

West Virginians with black lung will have the opportunity to learn about eligibility for benefits at upcoming educational events.

Events held in Fairmont and Madison from March 19-21 will allow current and former coal miners suffering from black lung to get assistance with filing or refiling claims and receive eligibility information.

According to the U.S. Department of Labor, there are currently 4,200 people receiving program benefits in West Virginia.

The events are hosted by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Federal Black Lung Program.

“The U.S. Department of Labor encourages current and former coal miners, and survivors in these areas to attend one of these events to learn more about eligibility for benefits under the Black Lung Benefits Act,” said Division of Coal Mine Workers’ Compensation Director Mike Chance. “Attendees can get assistance with filing or refiling claims and get information on eligibility and the adjudication process.”

The events are open to the public and do not require preregistration to attend.

The events will be held as follows:

March 19 – Marion County Public Library, 321 Monroe Street, Fairmont, W.Va. from 9:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.
March 20 – Boone Madison Public Library, 375 Main Street, Madison, W.Va. from 11 a.m. to 4:45 p.m.
March 21 – Boone Madison Public Library, 375 Main Street, Madison, W.Va. from 9 a.m. to 4:45 p.m.

For more information and assistance on submitting any bills for black lung related medical treatment, services or medical supplies, contact the Federal Black Lung Program at 1 (800) 347-2502.

Appalachia Health News is a project of West Virginia Public Broadcasting with support from Marshall Health.

Black Lung Compensation Falling Behind Inflation

Advocates report the monthly benefit rate for miners with Black Lung has not kept up with inflation.

The federal black lung benefits program was created in 1969 to pay for health care and provide monthly compensation to miners who could no longer work due to the disease.

Advocates like Quenton King, federal legislative specialist at Appalachian Voices, say that the stipend has not kept up with rising inflation.

“Aside from trying to prevent black lung, this is the main concern that coal miners with black lung have, is getting a simple stipend increase,” King said.

According to a new report from Appalachia Voices and Appalachia Citizens Law Center (ACLC), in 1969, a miner received $144.50 each month. Today, miners receive $773.00 a month, more than 30 percent less than the value of the original amount.

“Currently, the formula that they use to adjust the benefits annually is really silly,” King said. “It’s 37 percent of a level two federal employee’s monthly salary. We don’t know why that was chosen. But it doesn’t keep up with inflation.”

According to the ACLC, adjusting for inflation, the monthly stipend should equate to $1,172.61.

“The stipend is supposed to be able to help the family as a whole because it takes the whole family to take care of the coal miner, driving them to doctor’s appointments, and grocery shopping,” King said. “So the stipend is supposed to be a just way, better way to take care of families.”

In both the U.S. House and Senate, bills have been introduced called the Black Lung Improvement Act. House Resolution 6461 was introduced on Nov. 21, 2023.

“Coal miners broke their backs in the mines and power the nation,” King said. “Now they are unable to pay for groceries, or pay to live. This is getting some movement in Congress, and we’re really excited to see that.”

Appalachia Health News is a project of West Virginia Public Broadcasting with support from Charleston Area Medical Center and Marshall Health.

Black Lung Health Fair Held In Oak Hill

A free health fair on Tuesday gave the community of Oak Hill the opportunity to be tested for black lung disease.

The New River Health Association hosted the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) mobile health bus to offer free screenings for black lung on Tuesday.

“NIOSH is here doing a free service,” said Lisa Emery, Breathing Center director at the New River Health Association’s Black Lung Clinic. “And we’re really excited because the numbers of black lung are skyrocketing here in Appalachia. So we want to take care of our coal miners.”

In addition, miners had the opportunity to register for state and federal benefits with the assistance of a benefits counselor.

“As far as your benefits go, we’re going to educate you on how to file state claims,” Emery said. “There’s definitely time limits with state claims. And we don’t want you to miss out on any opportunities to file your federal or your state black lung claim.”

According to Emery, one in five coal miners develops complicated pneumoconiosis, and younger coal miners are getting black lung earlier than ever before.

“It’s no longer your grandfather’s disease,” Emery said. “It’s no longer your husband’s disease. It’s your son’s disease, too, because younger and younger coal miners are developing this.”

“We hear a lot about miners who are in their 20s,” said Cindy Whitlock, director of School Health at New River Health Association. “I think the youngest patient we have ever had is 33. And, it’s one of those West Virginia things. It just seems to be pervasive in every family. It doesn’t matter who you talk to, you’ve got somebody in your family that has black lung.”

Whitlock said the convenience of the resources available at the fair could be life-changing for someone with black lung.

“I think having a one-stop easy, you know, come in and when you leave, it’s done,” Whitlock said. “I think that’s very exciting, even though it’s a sad state of affairs to see this many people at these various ages affected by black lung.”

Roger James is a retired coal miner diagnosed with black lung. He does pulmonary rehab at New River Health and said the clinic motivates him to stay active.

“It motivates me to be able to come out and do the exercising that I do, because when you lay around, your body deteriorates quickly,” James said. “So you need to stay active, and when you cannot breathe, it’s hard to stay active because you get frustrated. Really easy. So it means a lot to just be able to get out and do for yourself.”

According to Emery, in total, black lung benefits counselors were able to help 53 miners fill out their federal black lung applications. In addition, NIOSH performed breathing tests and black lung x-rays on 86 miners and New River Health did five breathing tests on patients who came in curious about their breathing and interested in the pulmonary rehab program.

Appalachia Health News is a project of West Virginia Public Broadcasting with support from Charleston Area Medical Center and Marshall Health.

Black Lung Screenings And Town Hall In Oakhill

Black lung screenings will be available and free to the public Tuesday in Oak Hill.

The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health’s Mobile Health Unit will be at New River Health in Oak Hill Tuesday to provide free health screenings from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

The screenings are open to the public and to retired or working coal miners. Screenings will include chest x-rays, breathing tests and benefits counseling.

Access to this kind of testing in rural areas is vital, according to Courtney Rhoades, Black Lung Organizer with the Appalachian Citizens Law Center.

“Whether you’re a coal miner or someone who just thinks they have any type of pulmonary symptoms happening, it’s so important to make sure that you’re getting screened to make sure that you’re keeping up with your health,” Rhoades said.

A Black Lung Town Hall hosted by the National Black Lung Association, National Coalition of Black Lung and Respiratory Disease Clinics, and the United Mine Workers of America will be held after the health fair, at 5:00 p.m.
The town hall will provide updates on the black lung epidemic and the newly proposed silica dust exposure rule from the federal Mine Safety and Health Administration.

Appalachia Health News is a project of West Virginia Public Broadcasting with support from Charleston Area Medical Center and Marshall Health.

Black Lung Clinics Awarded More Than $2 Million

Black lung clinics across West Virginia will receive more than $2 million in federal funding.

More than $2 million in federal funding is supporting black lung clinics across the state.

The money from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services will go towards the state’s Black Lung and Coal Miner Clinics Program to provide financial help to the program’s health and treatment services.

Some of the services the program offers include lung function testing and rehabilitation, chest imaging, case management and benefits counseling.

Sen. Shelley Moore Capito is a ranking member of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education and related agencies.

She said in a statement that miners are entitled to the medical care and treatment provided by the clinics and that they will continue to advocate for more accessible healthcare for coal miners in the Senate.

“West Virginia has a long tradition of generating America’s energy, and our coal miners are on the front lines every day to keep the lights on across our country,” Capito said. “I have been an advocate for coal miners for a long time and this funding from HHS will continue to help clinics deliver treatment to miners suffering from black lung. As the top Republican on the Labor-HHS Appropriations Subcommittee, I will continue fighting for resources that provide assistance to brave West Virginia coal miners dealing with this disease.”

According to the U.S. Department of Labor’s Division of Coal Mine Workers’ Compensation, there were 28,628 total black lung beneficiaries nationwide in 2022.

West Virginia has more cases of black lung disease than any other state. And nearly one-quarter of the total number of cases reported, according to the Department of Labor.

More information about the West Virginia Black Lung Clinics Program, including services available by county, is available online.

Black Lung Benefit Rates Lag Behind Rising Inflation

Miner benefit levels are tied to the federal pay scale rather than the cost of living. Therefore, though inflation levels have risen, miners’ black lung benefits have not.

The Appalachian Citizens’ Law Center and Appalachian Voices released a report Wednesday, that shows benefits paid to miners with black lung, and their families, have fallen behind the cost of living and rising inflation.

According to a press release from Appalachian Voices, when the federal black lung benefits program was created in 1969, single miners with zero dependents received $144.50 per month.

The report released today shows that with inflation adjustments that figure today should be $1,204.70. However, miners with zero dependents actually receive $738 per month under current law.

Miner benefit levels are tied to the federal pay scale rather than the cost of living. Therefore, though inflation levels have risen, miners’ black lung benefits have not.

Chelsea Barnes is the legislative director at Appalachian Voices, an environmental organization.

“This report that we’ve released today makes it clear that the status quo is not sustainable for miners with black lung or their families as the cost of food, medicine and rent goes sky high and their benefit levels remain stuck in the past,” Barnes said. “Congress can make a simple fix and disconnect miner benefits from the federal pay scale and tie them to inflation. This is a change that will not break the bank. Instead, it will ensure that coal miners and their families have the basic safety net they deserve to survive.”

The new report finds that at the beginning of 2023, inflation rates hit 8 percent, but benefit levels increased by just 4 percent, leaving many miners and their families to struggle to make up the difference as the price of food, gas and medicine continue to rise.

Rebecca Shelton is the director of policy for Appalachian Citizens’ Law Center and spoke about the struggles miners and their families face without support.

“After sacrificing their health and well-being to power our country, miners and their families struggling with a black lung diagnosis shouldn’t have to pinch pennies to survive,” Shelton said. “But the current law ignores inflation and ignores rising prices, leaving disabled coal miners behind. This report should be a clarion call to Congress that, in their efforts to tackle inflation, they must take urgent action to ensure black lung benefits can truly support the people who have earned and deserve them. Anything less is a failure to support our communities during the ongoing cost of living crisis.”