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Coal miners who are totally disabled by pneumoconiosis and found entitled to monetary compensation under the Black Lung Benefits Act are also entitled to medical benefits for treatment of their disease and associated disability. The current program regulations generally provide that payment for medical treatment and services is capped at the rate prevailing in the community where the service provider is located but provide no method for determining that rate.  To fill this gap for medical benefit payments made from the Black Lung Disability Trust Fund, OWCP will propose rules to address how medical providers are reimbursed for covered services.  OWCP had previously included this topic in RIN 1240-AA10 but has since decided to propose these rules in a separate NPRM.