Why the CICP is NOT the venue to litigate COVID-19 vaccine injuries
The CounterMeasures Injury Compensation Program is Industry's Best Friend
With the upcoming Congressional committee hearings next week regarding the CounterMeasures Injury Compensation Program (CICP) and the huge backlog of over 11,000 petitions pending a decision, it is prudent for us to remind others that the CICP is not adequate nor designed to fairly and justly litigate injury and death claims from COVID-19 vaccines, designated medical devices and other anti-viral medicines.
Since the declaration of the PREP Act and Public Health Emergency in early 2020, I have been discussing on podcasts, radio interviews, writing articles, and even talking with members of Congress and their staffs that the CICP is not designed to handle long term, nation wide epidemic health emergencies.
First, the name of the program is misleading.
The CICP is really nothing more than a medical expense reimbursement program. At best. With no pain & suffering benefit attached to the program, the best one can hope for is a wage reimbursement with a cap of $50,000. To all the small business owners, medical professionals and others who earn more than this cap, you may receive this benefit. Will it pay your backpay that you did not earn because you were hospitalized for the last 2 years? We really do not know.
Will it pay your future wages capped at $50,000 for the next several years as you slowly recover? We really do not know.
Will it pay for you ongoing medical care in the future? We really do not know.
Will the CICP make you whole because as the breadwinner of the family, your income provided a roof over your family, food on the table, education for your children? We know the answer. NO!
We do not know the answer the previous questions because the program lacks transparency, lacks public information on the decisions inside of the CICP. The administrators of the CICP will not release documents or decisions like the National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program (NVICP). The Vaccine Court or NVICP, produces for public inspection, final decisions, damage amounts awarded, type of vaccine(s) and alleged injury.
Of the 30 petitions that were compensated in the CICP in 2010 with a total of $6 million dollars, 29 were from the H1N1 influenza vaccine allegedly causing GBS and 1 claim of smallpox vaccine allegedly causing myocarditis.
But we do not know if the awards represent medical expense reimbursement or lost wages.
Something we do know and it is not listed is the worse scenario for anyone that suffered a serious adverse event. Someone dies as a result of a countermeasure. The statute states that the death benefit is calculated from the Public Safety Officers Benefits plan (PSOB). The current level of compensation for 2023 is approximately $423,000.00
Next article will provide some options on how to fairly compensate those who have been injured.
Keep learning, keep challenging yourself and always, always question authority.
The answer to the we don’t know answers is probably no. CICP is not subject to judicial oversight and run by the agency responsible for the injurious countermeasure. Ergo, it is safe and effective and not their problem. The only reason GBS got barely compensated is because Congress added it to the table 4 years after the fact.
Also, did you know that federal employees and civil officers who suffered an adverse effect from the vaccines per the Dept. of Labor could file a workers compensation claim for wage loss and disability through the Federal Employees' Compensation Act. And they didn't even have to prove that they were vaccinated! If fact it says no proof of any kind needed! WTF!
https://www.dcpas.osd.mil/sites/default/files/day_1._2-feca_claims_for_covid_v1.pdf
The OWCP affords coverage for disability and medical care for
conditions that develop as the results of:
• Covid-19 vaccination (excluding boosters) provided/sponsored by
employing agency on or after September 9, 2021.
• Will also cover for vaccines prior to September 9, 2021 if administered
or sponsored by employing agency.
• Injuries sustained as direct result of receiving their mandated
vaccine (ex. slip and fall injuries occurring at medical facility
vaccination was administered).
No vaccination card or proof of any kind needed to support diagnosis or
causal relationship.
And, to top this off, in the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 Congress allocated $570 million just for federal employees paid leave if they caught C-19 or had a vaccine adverse reaction. $570 MILLION! https://www.congress.gov/117/plaws/publ2/PLAW-117publ2.pdf
What our Program Does
The Federal Employees' Compensation Act (FECA) Claims Administration adjudicates new claims for benefits and manages ongoing cases; pays medical expenses and compensation benefits to injured workers and survivors; and helps injured employees return to work when they are medically able to do so.
Look how much federal employees were compensated in FY 2022. https://www.dol.gov/agencies/owcp/FECA/about
In FY 2022, over 182,000 new cases were created. The program provided $2.923 billion in benefits to more than 179,000 workers and survivors for work-related injuries or illnesses. Of these benefits payments, over $2.049 billion was for wage-loss compensation, $716 million for medical and rehabilitation services, and $156 million for death benefits payments to surviving dependents.
I think a FOIA request needs to be done to find out how many federal employees were compensated for vaccine injuries and the total amount paid.
I contend that people like myself who performed our patriotic and civil duties for the benefit of the United States by volunteering to get immunized meet the criteria under the definition of "Employee"
per the FECA and therefore should be able to file a claim with the OWCP. The US benefited from out "personal service" and the PREP Act and EUA's authorized acceptance of that service. Vaccines won't have any effect unless they're administered. So abolish the CICP and forget about trying to file in the VICP and let us be treated as well as federal employees are. It's our tax dollars too right?
https://www.dol.gov/agencies/owcp/FECA/regs/statutes/feca#8101
§8101. Definitions
For the purpose of this subchapter--
(1) "employee" means--
(A) a civil officer or employee in any branch of the Government of the United States, including an officer or employee of an instrumentality wholly owned by the United States;
(B) an individual rendering personal service to the United States similar to the service of a civil officer or employee of the United States, without pay or for nominal pay, when a statute authorizes the acceptance or use of the service, or authorizes payment of travel or other expenses of the individual;