Radiation Exposure Screening and Education Program (RESEP) Clinic

303-270-2609
877-255-LUNG (1-877-255-5864)  

 

From 1945 through 1962, the United States conducted atmospheric atomic weapons testing at the Pacific Proving Grounds and the Nevada Test Site during the build up to the Cold War. During this time thousands of workers were involved in the mining, milling, and transport of the uranium ore used to produce the uranium used in these tests. The atmospheric testing at the Nevada Test Site also exposed an unknown number of innocent citizens to radioactive fallout. Many people exposed to radiation resulting from the nuclear weapons development and testing subsequently developed serious diseases, including various types of cancer.

The RESEP Clinic provides screening for cancer and other related diseases, referrals for patients needing further diagnostic or treatment procedures, and help with documenting claims under the Radiation Exposure Compensation Act (RECA).

 

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

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 conduct outreach clinics annually at locations throughout Colorado and Wyoming. For more information about our clinics, see the Miner's Clinic of Colorado page or call us at 1-877-255-5864.
 

 

Illnesses Related to Radiation Exposure

Under RECA, the illnesses covered depend on the source of the radiation exposure.

Uranium miners may be at a higher risk of developing:

• Lung cancer
• Pneumoconiosis and silicosis (damage due to breathing in dust particles)
• Fibrosis of the lung
• Cor Pulmonale (a specific type of heart failure due to nonmalignant lung disease)

Uranium mill workers and ore transporters may be at a higher risk of developing:

• Lung cancer and the nonmalignant lung diseases covered for miners
• Kidney Cancer
• Chronic kidney diseases

Persons exposed to radiation at a nuclear test site or in the radioactive fallout from the tests may be at a higher risk of 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)
• Spirometry (breathing test)
• Oximetry (oxygen level in blood)
• Chest X-ray with B-reads
• 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 1working 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 Web site. The MCC 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 MCC 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.