{"data":{"id":"us/20-cfr-10.316","jurisdiction":"us","citation":"20 CFR 10.316","heading":"After selecting a treating physician, may an employee choose to be treated by another physician instead?","body":"(a) When the physician originally selected to provide treatment for a work-related injury refers the employee to a specialist for further medical care, the employee need not consult OWCP for approval. In all other instances, however, the employee must submit a written request to OWCP with his or her reasons for desiring a change of physician.\n(b) OWCP will approve the request if it determines that the reasons submitted are sufficient. Requests that are often approved include those for transfer of care from a general practitioner to a physician who specializes in treating conditions like the work-related one, or the need for a new physician when an employee has moved. The employer may not authorize a change of physicians.","path":["Title 20—Employees' Benefits","CHAPTER I—OFFICE OF WORKERS' COMPENSATION PROGRAMS, DEPARTMENT OF LABOR","SUBCHAPTER B—FEDERAL EMPLOYEES' COMPENSATION ACT","PART 10—CLAIMS FOR COMPENSATION UNDER THE FEDERAL EMPLOYEES' COMPENSATION ACT, AS AMENDED","Subpart D—Medical and Related Benefits"],"source_url":"https://www.ecfr.gov/api/versioner/v1/full/2026-08-25/title-20.xml","current_through":"2026-08-25","vintage":"","retrieved_at":"2026-08-27T02:24:45Z","sha256":"c1e629e55f21469d5ded29e96f12962b152f003f46d79f6ea8946b34cb66476e","source_id":"us-cfr","stale":true,"prev":"us/20-cfr-10.315","next":"us/20-cfr-10.320"},"notice":"GroundRules: Original legal text. Not legal advice."}