Form CA-16 is your agency's written OK for medical care after a traumatic work injury. It lets a doctor treat you right away, before OWCP decides your claim.
The deadlines your agency has
- Your agency issues Form CA-16 within four hours of the claimed injury.
- If a supervisor gives a verbal OK first, the form should follow within 48 hours.
- The agency is not required to issue it more than one week after the injury.
How long it covers you
A CA-16 authorizes treatment for 60 days from the date of injury, unless OWCP ends it sooner. It must name the doctor or facility, and the official who signs it must date it and state their title.
Traumatic injury versus illness
CA-16 is for traumatic injuries, meaning something that happened during one work shift. For an occupational disease or illness that built up over time, the agency can only use a CA-16 if OWCP gives permission first.
Related deadlines
- File Form CA-1, the notice of traumatic injury, within 30 days to qualify for continuation of pay. The general deadline for a notice of injury is three years.
- To get continuation of pay, lost time must start within 45 days of the injury.
Taking it to the doctor
Bring the CA-16 to your first visit. The doctor can use part of it for the first medical report to OWCP. Later reports often go on Form CA-20 or as a narrative letter.
Find offices that billed OWCP in the last 12 months near you.
Common questions
My supervisor never gave me a CA-16. Can I still see a doctor?
Yes. You can still choose a doctor and file your claim. Without a CA-16, payment for early care depends on OWCP accepting your claim, so file the CA-1 promptly and ask your agency for the form in writing.
Does a CA-16 mean my claim is approved?
No. It authorizes early treatment while OWCP decides the claim. OWCP can end the authorization sooner than 60 days.
Sources
- 20 CFR 10.300, authorizing medical care (Form CA-16)
- 20 CFR 10.100, filing a notice of traumatic injury (CA-1)
- 20 CFR 10.205, conditions for continuation of pay
- 20 CFR 10.331, medical reports (CA-16, CA-20, CA-17)
Last reviewed October 4, 2026. This guide explains the rules in plain English and is not legal advice.
