Great News!
Story Via The Hill Blog
President Obama announced last week that he would provide healthcare coverage to the hundreds of firefighters battling wildfires in Colorado. The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) issued a regulation Tuesday implementing the policy.
"Starting today, the brave men and women of our nation's federal firefighting forces, as well as their families, will have access to the health coverage they deserve," Obama said in a statement. "Their heroism in battling the deadly fires that have impacted states across the country this summer inspires us all."
In addition to covering firefighters' families, OPM also said it will allow other agencies to request coverage for temporary workers who are "similarly situated to firefighting personnel."
OPM did not immediately respond to questions about how many other workers might qualify.
"OPM intends to construe this subsection narrowly, applying it only to employees who are engaged in emergency response services similar to the services being performed by those responding to the wildfires, and only when requested by their employing agencies," the regulation states.
The new rules will take effect immediately.
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