Message from Special Master Rupa Bhattacharyya – VCF Program Updates

Michael Barasch commented on Victim Compensation Fund Special Master’s program update:

When Congress re-authorized and extended the Victim Compensation Fund (VCF) last December, it mandated that the VCF pay claimants whose applications were completed, before it could even consider new or amended claims. As many of you know firsthand, many claimants have still not been paid, even though their applications were completed prior to December.

Rupa Bhattacharyya, the VCF’s new Special Master, has just confirmed that the VCF has complied with Congress’ directive and that it has completed payment of the first 3,500 claims. She also announced that there are approximately 2,800 other compensation claims “ready to be paid” or “under review” for claimants who have been deemed “eligible”. If you still have not received your award, we appreciate your patience.

If you have not received your award, please rest assured that we will contact you as soon as we have any updates to report on your specific case. The VCF is a Government-run program and it is processing many thousands of claims.

If you received an award prior to the Zadroga Re-authorization last December, and have an amendment pending with the VCF, you should know that the VCF must first render initial awards to the claimants who have been waiting the longest. It must pay those claimants before it is permitted to pay additional monies to claimants who have filed amendments.

Of course, if you have a new 9/11-related illness, or if you have been recently been found disabled from work due to your 9/11-related illness, please make sure that you let us know so that we can amend your claim. The Zadroga Re-authorization allows us to amend claims until December, 2020, whenever there is a new diagnosis or evidence of disability to report. As soon as the elections are over, we will start our lobbying efforts to have Congress take care of the 9/11 community once and for all. More than 5,400 Ground Zero responders and others who worked, lived or went to school near the fallen Towers have been certified with 9/11-linked cancers. The VCF must be extended indefinitely!

Read about the VCF Updates: https://www.vcf.gov/blogspecialmsgaug242016.html (August 24, 2016)