OWCP Forms Library: CA-1, CA-2, CA-7, CA-16, CA-17 & CA-20

The OWCP Forms Your Federal Claim Runs On

Every federal injury claim moves on paperwork. The Office of Workers’ Compensation Programs (OWCP) decides your claim based on what the forms and the medical evidence behind them actually say, so understanding each form, and getting the medical side completed correctly, is not busywork. It is the claim. Core Medical Center is an OWCP-authorized clinic in Blue Springs serving federal injured workers across the Greater Kansas City metro, and completing this documentation correctly is a daily part of our work.

In short: CA-1 and CA-2 open your claim, CA-16 authorizes early treatment, CA-17 reports your duty status, CA-20 is your physician’s report, and CA-7 claims wage-loss compensation. Your doctor’s accuracy on the medical forms is what keeps the rest moving.

Every Major OWCP Form at a Glance

• CA-1 & CA-2: the two forms that open a claim. CA-1 reports a traumatic injury from a single event. CA-2 reports an occupational disease or condition that developed over time.
• CA-16: the authorization for examination and treatment your agency can issue after a traumatic injury, which guarantees payment for initial care.
• CA-17: the duty status report. Your agency describes your job demands on side A, and your doctor documents your work capacity and restrictions on side B.
• CA-20: the attending physician’s report, where your doctor states the diagnosis and its causal connection to your federal employment.
• CA-7: the claim for compensation you file when you are losing wages, typically after continuation of pay ends.

Each linked guide explains the form in plain English: what it is for, who completes each part, when it is due, and the mistakes that slow claims down.

Who Completes What

A simple way to keep the paperwork straight is to sort it by owner:

• You (the injured worker): CA-1 or CA-2 to report the injury, and CA-7 when claiming wage-loss compensation
• Your employing agency: its portions of the CA-1 or CA-2, the CA-16 authorization when appropriate, and side A of the CA-17
• Your physician: side B of the CA-17, the CA-20, and the narrative reports and objective findings that carry the medical burden of proof

The official forms live on the Department of Labor’s OWCP site, and most agencies file electronically through ECOMP. Eligibility and benefit decisions are always made by the Department of Labor, not by any clinic.

Why the Medical Side Decides the Claim

OWCP does not accept a claim because an injury happened. It accepts a claim when the medical record establishes a diagnosis, connects it to your federal employment with objective findings, and documents your work capacity as it changes. That evidence lives in the CA-17, the CA-20 and the physician narratives, which is exactly the documentation our providers produce. Our OWCP Claims Assistance service covers this work in detail, including support for denied claims, and our OWCP Doctor page explains the treatment side of federal injury care.

Get the Paperwork Done Right the First Time

If you are starting a claim, holding a returned form, or working through a denial, bring what you have. Our team completes the physician documentation, coordinates with your agency and OWCP case manager, and keeps treatment and paperwork aligned under one roof in Blue Springs. For an accepted OWCP claim, authorized treatment is billed through the Department of Labor rather than to you, and same-week appointments are typically available.