Form CA-16 (Authorization for Examination and/or Treatment) is the OWCP document that guarantees payment to your chosen doctor for the first 60 days of treatment after a traumatic work injury. Your employer completes the front of the form — ideally within four hours of your request — and you take it to any qualified provider, including NuThera in Las Vegas.
What is OWCP Form CA-16?
OWCP Form CA-16 — full name "Authorization for Examination and/or Treatment" — is a single-purpose document with one job: guarantee that OWCP will pay your treating physician for the first 60 days of medical care after a traumatic federal work injury. It is not a claim decision. It is not medical opinion. It exists to remove the up-front payment question from your injury so you can be seen immediately.
CA-16 is used for traumatic injuries — a single event or shift, filed on Form CA-1. Occupational disease claims (Form CA-2) generally do not receive a CA-16 unless the employing agency gets prior authorization from OWCP itself.
Federal civilian employees covered by FECA — postal workers, TSA officers, VA staff, USDA, Border Patrol, IRS, DoD civilians, and any other federal-employee population. Contractors are usually not eligible; ask your supervisor if your employment classification qualifies.
What does a CA-16 cover?
The 60-day guarantee
CA-16 authorizes and guarantees payment for medical treatment for 60 calendar days from the date of issuance — unless OWCP terminates the authorization earlier (uncommon; typically only when the underlying claim is denied on grounds unrelated to medical care). Coverage includes physician visits, physical therapy, imaging, prescription medications, durable medical equipment, and any other medically necessary care for the accepted work injury during that window.
Important: even if your CA-1 claim is later denied, treatment received under a valid CA-16 during the 60-day window is still covered. Payment for pre-denial care remains OWCP's responsibility (20 CFR 10.301).
Your right to choose the physician — and specialist referrals are included
Under FECA (20 CFR 10.300(d)) and reinforced by CA-16 itself, you have the right to choose your treating physician. Your employer cannot dictate which provider you see. Once you name a physician on the CA-16, that physician can refer you to specialists, testing facilities, or subspecialty services on the same CA-16 authorization — no second form is required (20 CFR 10.301). OWCP pays those referral bills under the original CA-16.
In practice: if your treating physician refers you to an orthopedic surgeon, a pain-management specialist, imaging, or physical therapy, all of that flows through the CA-16 that was originally issued for you. You do not need to return to your employer for a new form.
What CA-16 does NOT do
- It does not file your claim. You must still submit Form CA-1 (or CA-2 for occupational disease) through ECOMP to open the underlying OWCP case.
- It does not decide whether your injury is accepted. Claim acceptance is a separate OWCP determination based on the medical evidence and causation narrative your physician provides.
- It does not authorize care beyond 60 days. Continued treatment past the 60-day window depends on whether OWCP has accepted the claim.
- It does not authorize non-emergency surgery. Surgery requires advance OWCP approval — contact OWCP at least 30 days before the planned procedure.
How do you get a CA-16?
The steps are straightforward and time-sensitive. Move fast — the CA-16 window is short and the employer has limited obligation after week one.
- Report the injury to your supervisor as soon as it happens (or as soon as you are physically able). Document date, time, location, mechanism, and any witnesses. This same conversation is the trigger for the CA-16 request — ask for one explicitly.
- Your supervisor completes the front of Form CA-16 authorizing your care. Federal regulations expect this to happen within 4 hours of your request for a traumatic injury; if verbal authorization was given at the scene, the written CA-16 should follow within 48 hours (20 CFR 10.300(b)).
- The employer is not obligated to issue a CA-16 more than one week after the injury. This is the single biggest reason CA-16 requests fail — the employee doesn't know to ask, waits several weeks to seek care, and by then the employer's obligation has lapsed. Ask immediately.
- Take the completed CA-16 to the qualified physician of your choice. Give the front-desk staff the original (keep a copy for yourself). The provider completes the back of the form and returns it to OWCP as part of their billing paperwork — you don't handle that step.
If your injury is severe and you need immediate care, your supervisor can give verbal authorization to get you seen right away. The written CA-16 should follow within 48 hours. Do not delay treatment waiting for paperwork if you have verbal authorization on record — get to the provider first and document the verbal authorization with names, date, and time.
CA-16 vs CA-1 — what each form does
These two forms are often confused. They serve different purposes and you need both:
| Feature | Form CA-16 | Form CA-1 |
|---|---|---|
| Purpose | Authorizes and pays for medical treatment | Files the traumatic injury claim itself |
| Who completes it | Employer (front) + physician (back) | Employee, submitted via ECOMP |
| When to submit | As soon as possible after injury; ~4-hr expectation | As soon as possible, no later than 30 days from injury |
| Duration of effect | 60 calendar days of guaranteed treatment | Establishes the OWCP case for the life of the claim |
| Applies to occupational disease? | No, unless OWCP specifically authorizes | No — use Form CA-2 for occupational disease |
| Handles referrals? | Yes, automatically for the 60-day period | N/A (not a treatment form) |
What if my employer won't issue a CA-16?
It happens — most often because the supervisor doesn't know the process, is inexperienced with FECA, or believes (incorrectly) that they can decline. Your options:
- Document the refusal in writing — date, time, supervisor name, what you asked for, what they said. Send yourself an email summarizing the conversation so there is a timestamped record.
- Escalate within the agency — your union representative, your safety office, your agency's workers'-compensation liaison, or the injury-compensation program administrator. Many agencies have a specific OWCP liaison whose entire job is CA-16 and claim intake.
- Seek treatment anyway. If you cannot get a CA-16 and your injury needs care, get treatment. Some providers (including NuThera) will see federal workers even without a CA-16 in hand and help figure out authorization retroactively where possible.
- Act inside the one-week window. The employer's obligation to issue a CA-16 largely ends after one week from the injury. Waiting past that point can foreclose the CA-16 pathway entirely — you can still file the CA-1 and pursue the claim, but treatment payment becomes a separate battle. Move fast.
Getting treated at NuThera with your CA-16
NuThera Injury Recovery & Wellness is OWCP-enrolled and accepts CA-16 authorizations for federal workers across the Las Vegas Valley. Same-week appointments for new CA-16 patients. Our team completes the physician-side portion of the CA-16 and prepares the CA-17 duty-status report and CA-20 attending physician's report as part of your ongoing care.
- Las Vegas (Rainbow / Spring Valley): 5765 S Rainbow Blvd, Ste 111, Las Vegas, NV 89118-2537
- North Las Vegas (Aliante): 3880 W Ann Rd #130, North Las Vegas, NV 89031
We see federal workers this week. Call (725) 726-7914 to book. No CA-16 yet? We'll help you understand your options and coordinate authorization where possible.
Keep exploring.
- OWCP Overview
How NuThera supports federal workers through the full OWCP claim lifecycle — filing, treatment authorization, documentation, and impairment rating.
- CA-1 vs CA-2: which OWCP form should you file?
The decision-point companion to this CA-16 guide — how to pick the right entry form and why the choice affects your Continuation of Pay.
- OWCP Forms library — CA-16, CA-17, CA-20, and more
The full DOL forms library with plain-language guides for every form a federal worker will encounter in an OWCP claim.
- How to file a CA-1 claim in Nevada
Step-by-step filing walkthrough — the CA-1 companion to this CA-16 guide.
- Can you choose your own OWCP doctor?
Your FECA right to choose the physician who receives your CA-16 — and why that first choice matters for the claim.
- DOL Injury Recovery at NuThera
The service page for our OWCP-focused evaluation, treatment, and documentation program.
- Our Las Vegas (Rainbow) clinic
Address, hours, and directions for our Rainbow Blvd clinic — the primary OWCP intake location for CA-16 patients.
Common questions.
How long is a CA-16 good for?
60 calendar days from the date of issuance. During that window, OWCP guarantees payment for medical treatment of the traumatic injury, including specialist referrals from your treating physician, unless OWCP specifically terminates the authorization earlier.
Who fills out a CA-16?
Your employer (the supervisor or agency injury-compensation liaison) completes the front of the form authorizing your care. Your treating physician completes the back after your visit and submits it to OWCP as part of their billing paperwork. You, the employee, do not typically fill out any portion of CA-16 yourself.
Can I choose my own doctor with a CA-16?
Yes. Under FECA (20 CFR 10.300(d)), you have the right to choose your treating physician. Your employer cannot dictate the provider. Specialist referrals from your chosen physician are automatically covered by the same CA-16 for the 60-day window — no additional authorization is needed.
Is a CA-16 the same as a CA-1?
No. Form CA-16 authorizes and pays for treatment. Form CA-1 files the traumatic injury claim itself. You need both: CA-16 to get treated in the first 60 days, and CA-1 to open the OWCP case that will be decided based on the medical evidence.
What if my supervisor refuses to issue a CA-16?
First, document the refusal in writing with date, time, name, and what was said. Then escalate — your union rep, safety office, or agency's OWCP liaison typically handles refusals. Act within the one-week window: the employer's obligation to issue a CA-16 largely ends one week after the injury. If needed, seek treatment anyway; some providers (including NuThera) will see federal workers without a CA-16 in hand and help coordinate authorization retroactively.
Does CA-16 cover occupational disease (CA-2) claims?
Generally no. CA-16 is designed for traumatic injuries filed on Form CA-1. For occupational disease claims filed on Form CA-2, an agency needs prior authorization from OWCP itself before issuing a CA-16 — which is uncommon in practice. Occupational disease patients typically start care while the CA-2 claim is pending and treatment authorization is worked out separately.
Where can I use a CA-16 in Las Vegas?
NuThera Injury Recovery & Wellness accepts CA-16 authorizations at both Las Vegas Valley locations: Rainbow (5765 S Rainbow Blvd, Ste 111, Las Vegas, NV 89118) and Aliante (3880 W Ann Rd #130, North Las Vegas, NV 89031). Same-week appointments for new CA-16 patients. Call (725) 726-7914.