{"abstract":"This document contains proposed regulations implementing amendments to the Black Lung Benefits Act (BLBA or Act) made by the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA). The ACA amended the BLBA in two ways. First, it revived a rebuttable presumption of total disability or death due to pneumoconiosis for certain claims. Second, it reinstituted derivative entitlement to benefits for certain eligible survivors of coal miners whose lifetime benefit claims were awarded because they were totally disabled due to pneumoconiosis. These survivors need not also prove that the miner died due to coal workers' pneumoconiosis. The proposed rules would clarify how the statutory presumption may be invoked and rebutted and the application and scope of the derivative-survivor-entitlement provision. The proposed rules also eliminate several unnecessary or obsolete provisions.","action":"Notice of proposed rulemaking; request for comments.","agencies":[{"raw_name":"DEPARTMENT OF LABOR","name":"Labor Department","id":271,"url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/agencies/labor-department","json_url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/api/v1/agencies/271","parent_id":null,"slug":"labor-department"},{"raw_name":"Office of Workers' Compensation Programs","name":"Workers' Compensation Programs Office","id":530,"url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/agencies/workers-compensation-programs-office","json_url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/api/v1/agencies/530","parent_id":271,"slug":"workers-compensation-programs-office"}],"body_html_url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/full_text/html/2012/03/30/2012-7335.html","cfr_references":[{"chapter":null,"citation_url":null,"part":718,"title":20},{"chapter":null,"citation_url":null,"part":725,"title":20}],"citation":"77 FR 19456","comment_url":null,"comments_close_on":"2012-05-29","correction_of":null,"corrections":[],"dates":"The Department invites written comments on the proposed regulations from interested parties. Written comments must be received by May 29, 2012.","disposition_notes":null,"docket_ids":[],"dockets":[],"document_number":"2012-7335","effective_on":null,"end_page":19478,"executive_order_notes":null,"executive_order_number":null,"full_text_xml_url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/full_text/xml/2012/03/30/2012-7335.xml","html_url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2012/03/30/2012-7335/regulations-implementing-the-byrd-amendments-to-the-black-lung-benefits-act-determining-coal-miners","images":{},"images_metadata":{},"json_url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/api/v1/documents/2012-7335?publication_date=2012-03-30","mods_url":"https://www.govinfo.gov/metadata/granule/FR-2012-03-30/2012-7335/mods.xml","not_received_for_publication":null,"page_length":23,"page_views":{"count":1303,"last_updated":"2026-10-22 20:15:04 -0400"},"pdf_url":"https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2012-03-30/pdf/2012-7335.pdf","presidential_document_number":null,"proclamation_number":null,"public_inspection_pdf_url":"https://public-inspection.federalregister.gov/2012-07335.pdf?1333025863","publication_date":"2012-03-30","raw_text_url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/full_text/text/2012/03/30/2012-7335.txt","regulation_id_number_info":{"1240-AA04":{"issue":"201304","html_url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/regulations/1240-AA04/regulations-implementing-amendments-to-the-black-lung-benefits-act-determining-coal-miners-and-survi","title":"Regulations Implementing Amendments to the Black Lung Benefits Act: Determining Coal Miners and Survivors Entitlement to Benefits","xml_url":"http://www.reginfo.gov/public/do/eAgendaViewRule?pubId=201304&RIN=1240-AA04&operation=OPERATION_EXPORT_XML","priority_category":"Other Significant"}},"regulation_id_numbers":["1240-AA04"],"regulations_dot_gov_info":{"supporting_documents":[{"title":"Economic Analysis of the Proposed Regulations that would Implement the 2010 Amendments to the Black Lung Benefits Act","document_id":"WCPO-2012-0001-0002"}],"regulatory_plan":{"html_url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/regulations/1240-AA04/regulations-implementing-amendments-to-the-black-lung-benefits-act-determining-coal-miners-and-survi","title":"Regulations Implementing Amendments to the Black Lung Benefits Act: Determining Coal Miners and Survivors Entitlement to Benefits"},"comments_url":"https://www.regulations.gov/docketBrowser?rpp=50&so=DESC&sb=postedDate&po=0&dct=PS&D=WCPO-2012-0001","supporting_documents_count":1,"docket_id":"WCPO-2012-0001","regulation_id_number":"1240-AA04","title":"Regulations Implementing the Bryd Amendments to the Black Lung Benefits Act:  Determining Coal Miners' and Survivors' Entitlement to Benefits","checked_regulationsdotgov_at":"2012-05-31T05:01:58Z"},"regulations_dot_gov_url":null,"significant":true,"signing_date":null,"start_page":19456,"subtype":null,"title":"Regulations Implementing the Byrd Amendments to the Black Lung Benefits Act: Determining Coal Miners' and Survivors' Entitlement to Benefits","toc_doc":"Determining Coal Miners' and Survivors' Entitlement to Benefits","toc_subject":"Byrd Amendments to the Black Lung Benefits Act:","topics":["Claims","Workers' compensation"],"type":"Proposed Rule","volume":77}