RESEP Clinic

303.398.1418
 877.255.LUNG (1.877.255.5864)  

 

History of the RESEP Clinic

Prior to 1972, thousands of workers were involved in the mining, milling and transport of uranium used to produce atomic weapons for the United States. Much of this work occurred in western states such as Colorado, Wyoming, Utah and South Dakota. The United States also conducted atmospheric atomic weapons testing in Nevada during the build up to the Cold War.  This testing exposed people who lived and worked nearby to radioactive fallout. Workers and residents may have been exposed to radiation externally by touching fallout on the ground or internally by breathing contaminated air, eating contaminated foods and drinking contaminated water.

The RESEP clinics were created by the Radiation Exposure Compensation Act (RECA) Amendments of 2000 to help individuals by providing screening for diseases related to radiation exposure, referrals for patients needing further diagnostic or treatment procedures, and help with documenting claims under RECA.

 

Free Health Screening

You are eligible for a FREE screening through the RESEP Clinic if you live in Colorado, Wyoming, Montana, South Dakota or southeast Utah, and meet certain criteria.

Call Today: 1.877.255.5864

 

Eligibility for RESEP

You are eligible for a free screening through the RESEP Clinic if you live in Colorado, Wyoming, Montana, South Dakota or southeast Utah, and meet the criteria for any of the following categories:

  • Uranium miner for 1 year (or 40 WLM) before 1972
  • Uranium mill worker for 1 year before 1972
  • Uranium ore transporter for 1 year before 1972
  • A minimum of one year of combined uranium mining, mill work and/or ore transporting before 1972
  • Worked onsite during the atmospheric testing of a nuclear weapon before 1962
  • Lived in an area downwind of the atmospheric nuclear tests at the Nevada Test site between January 1951 and July 1962 (List of downwinder covered areas)

To find out if you are eligible for a free screening, please call us at 1.877.255.5864.

 

Screening Clinic Locations

The RESEP Clinic has appointments year round at National Jewish Health in Denver. We also hold annual outreach clinics in partnership with local hospitals in Craig, Montrose and Pueblo, Colorado as well as Page, Arizona and Casper, Wyoming. For more information about our clinics, see the Miners Clinic page or call us at 1.877.255.5864.

 

Illnesses Related to Radiation Exposure

Uranium miners are at risk for developing:

Uranium mill workers and ore transporters are at  risk for developing:

Persons exposed to radiation at a nuclear test site (known as "on-site workers") or in the radioactive fallout from the tests (known as "downwinders") are at risk for developing:

  • Leukemia and lymphoma
  • Multiple myeloma
  • Brain cancer
  • Pharyngeal or salivary gland cancer
  • Thyroid cancer
  • Breast cancer
  • Lung cancer
  • Cancers of the digestive system (esophagus, stomach, small intestine, colon)
  • Pancreatic cancer
  • Cancer of liver, bile ducts or gall bladder
  • Bladder cancer
  • Kidney cancer
  • Ovarian cancer

 

How These Illnesses Are Detected

The RESEP Clinic offers in-depth confidential screening for illnesses that may be related to radiation exposure. Early diagnosis and medical care can often make a difference in quality of life and long-term survival.

FREE screening services include:

  • Medical and occupational history questionnaire
  • Physical exam
  • Audiometry (hearing test)- Denver clinic only
  • Spirometry (breathing test)
  • Oximetry (oxygen level in blood)
  • Chest X-ray with B-reads (detecting lung abnormalities caused by dust inhalation)
  • Health education
  • Benefits eligibility assistance 

Other tests that may be done depending on your exposure category include:

  • Fecal occult blood test
  • Lab work (chemistry/metabolic tests/arterial blood gas)

To find out if you are eligible for a free screening, please call us at 1.877.255.5864.

 

Working Level Month (WLM)

A working level month (WLM) is a measurement of exposure to radioactive radon gas decay products or "radon daughters." Radon gas occurs naturally in the radioactive decay of uranium. Working level months calculations take into account the amount of radioactive radon daughters present in the air (working level) and the amount of time a worker is exposed to them.

For example, a miner working full-time for 1 month (170 hours per month) and exposed to 1 working level of radioactive radon gas would accumulate 1 WL of exposure. A miner working 170 hours/month for 4 months in a mine with 10 working levels of radioactive radon gas would accumulate 40 WLM's of exposure.

 

Radiation Exposure Compensation Act (RECA)

In 1990, Congress passed the Radiation Exposure Compensation Act (RECA). This act aids thousands of individuals adversely affected by the mining, transport, and processing of uranium ore and testing of nuclear weapons for the Nation's Cold War arsenal. The program is administered by the U.S. Department of Justice and provides compensation to eligible uranium workers, on-site participants and downwinders, or their eligible survivors, who developed certain cancers and other serious diseases as a result of radiation exposure.

To find out if you are eligible for a free screening, please call us at 1.877.255.5864.
 

How to File a Claim for Compensation Under RECA

Claims forms are available directly from the Department of Justice by mail or can be downloaded from their website. The Miners Clinic benefit counselors also have claim forms available. The completed claim form and supporting records are mailed to the Department of Justice.

Examples of the records that you will need include:

  • Medical records documenting the diagnosis of one of the covered diseases
  • Records documenting eligible work in the uranium industry or physical presence in one of the covered downwinder counties
  • You will also need certain documents to prove your identity such as your birth or marriage certificate.

In the event that the exposed worker or downwinder is deceased, certain eligible survivors may file a claim for the compensation on their behalf. Our Miners Clinic benefits counselors are happy to answer your questions about the health screening, eligibility for compensation and filing a claim.

To find out if you are eligible for a free screening, please call us at 1.877.255.5864.