6th Edition Impairment Ratings in Kansas City for OWCP Schedule Awards
If a federal work injury left you with permanent loss of use of an arm, leg, hand, foot or other covered body part, you may qualify for an OWCP schedule award. The award depends on a 6th Edition impairment rating — and on that rating being done by the right provider, the right way. Restore Muscle and Joint helps Kansas City federal employees get there.
For FECA schedule awards · Ratings follow the AMA Guides to the Evaluation of Permanent Impairment, 6th Edition
Dr. Chris Main, DO
Medical Director · 20+ years in occupational & workers' comp medicine
What is a 6th Edition impairment rating?
A 6th Edition impairment rating is a percentage measure of permanent loss of function in a body part, calculated using the American Medical Association's Guides to the Evaluation of Permanent Impairment, Sixth Edition. OWCP has used the 6th Edition for federal schedule award decisions issued since May 1, 2009. After a federal employee reaches maximum medical improvement, a physician rates the impairment, OWCP's district medical adviser reviews it, and the percentage determines how many weeks of schedule award compensation are paid at 66⅔% of pay, or 75% with a dependent.
Why the provider who signs your rating matters
Not every impairment rating counts with OWCP. Under FECA, a chiropractor is recognized as a physician only for manual manipulation of the spine, and the Employees' Compensation Appeals Board has held that a chiropractor's opinion on permanent impairment of a scheduled member is outside that scope. A rating OWCP can rely on for a schedule award needs to come from a physician such as an MD or DO.
That's why Restore's model matters: your rating is coordinated by a team that includes a physician medical director, with clinical input from providers who know the 6th Edition method in depth.
- A qualified physician MD or DO whose rating OWCP can accept for a scheduled member.
- Maximum medical improvement (MMI) Your condition has stabilized and isn't expected to change significantly with more treatment.
- The correct edition The AMA Guides, 6th Edition — the edition OWCP applies to schedule award decisions.
- Full methodology shown Diagnosis class, grade modifiers and the math behind the final percentage, so OWCP's medical adviser can verify it.
- A scheduled member The rating must be for a body part FECA covers, such as an arm, leg, hand, foot or eye.
Which body parts qualify for an OWCP schedule award?
FECA pays schedule awards for permanent loss, or loss of use, of specific members and organs. Each has a maximum number of weeks of compensation set by regulation (20 CFR 10.404).
| Member or organ | Maximum weeks (100% loss) | Common federal-workplace causes |
|---|---|---|
| Arm | 312 weeks | Rotator cuff tears, elbow injuries, nerve damage from repetitive work |
| Leg | 288 weeks | Knee injuries, meniscus and ligament tears, hip injuries from falls |
| Hand | 244 weeks | Carpal tunnel syndrome, wrist fractures, hand crush injuries |
| Foot | 205 weeks | Ankle fractures, foot injuries from long walking routes |
| Eye | 160 weeks | Workplace eye injuries |
| Lung (one) | 156 weeks | Occupational lung disease |
| Kidney (one) | 156 weeks | Work-related organ injury |
| Skin | 205 weeks | Injuries after Sept. 11, 2001 |
FECA also covers fingers, toes, hearing loss and certain other organs. The back and spine are not scheduled members, but impairment to an arm or leg caused by a work-related spinal nerve injury can be rated — see the FAQ below.
How a 6th Edition impairment rating turns into a schedule award
The calculation is straightforward once the rating is accepted:
Impairment %
The accepted percentage of permanent impairment to the scheduled member, from your 6th Edition rating.
× Maximum weeks
Multiplied by the member's maximum weeks. Example: 10% impairment of an arm × 312 weeks = 31.2 weeks.
× Your compensation rate
Paid at 66⅔% of your weekly pay, or 75% if you have at least one dependent, for that number of weeks.
Because every percentage point adds weeks of compensation, an incomplete or poorly explained rating can cost you. Schedule awards are requested on Form CA-7. See the OWCP forms guide →
From MMI to schedule award: the 5 steps
- Reach MMIYour treating providers document that your condition has stabilized.
- Rating examA physician examines you and applies the AMA Guides, 6th Edition, to the affected scheduled member.
- Rating reportThe report shows the diagnosis class, grade modifiers and final impairment percentage with rationale.
- File CA-7You claim the schedule award on Form CA-7, with the rating report attached.
- OWCP reviewOWCP's district medical adviser reviews the rating, and OWCP issues a schedule award decision.
What a strong 6th Edition impairment rating report includes
OWCP's medical adviser checks the work. A report that shows every step is far more likely to be accepted as written.
Diagnosis-based impairment
The correct diagnosis and impairment class from the relevant regional grid of the Guides.
Functional history
How the injury limits your daily activities, scored as a grade modifier.
Physical examination
Objective findings such as range of motion, strength and stability, scored as a grade modifier.
Clinical studies
Imaging, nerve studies or other tests, applied where the Guides allow.
Net adjustment & final %
The math that moves the default grade to the final impairment percentage, shown step by step.
MMI date & rationale
When you reached maximum medical improvement and a clear explanation tying the rating to your accepted work injury.
A clinic built around the 6th Edition method
Restore founder Dr. Kendra Pearson is a Certified 6th Edition Impairment Rater. Her training in the AMA Guides shapes how our team documents your care from the first visit — so when you reach maximum medical improvement, your records already support an accurate rating.
Ratings submitted to OWCP for schedule awards are coordinated through a physician whose opinion OWCP can accept, with our medical director, Dr. Chris Main, DO, overseeing medical care.
- Certified 6th Edition Impairment Rater (Dr. Pearson)
- Board-certified medical director with 20+ years in occupational and workers' comp medicine (Dr. Main)
- Doctor of Physical Therapy documenting strength, range of motion and function
- OWCP-enrolled providers who treat federal work injuries every day
Impairment rating help in Kansas City
Restore Muscle and Joint – 6th Edition Impairment Ratings
- Address
- 4119 NW Barry Rd
Kansas City, MO 64154 - Phone
- (816) 452-4488
- Hours
- Call (816) 452-4488 for current hours
- Accessibility
- Wheelchair-accessible entrance
Impairment rating and schedule award questions
What is an OWCP schedule award?
A schedule award is FECA compensation for permanent loss, or loss of use, of a specific body part or organ listed in the law, such as an arm, leg, hand, foot or eye. It is based on the percentage of permanent impairment, not on lost wages.
When can I get a 6th Edition impairment rating?
After you reach maximum medical improvement (MMI), meaning your condition has stabilized and isn't expected to improve significantly with further treatment. A rating done too early may be rejected or understate your impairment.
Can a chiropractor do my impairment rating for OWCP?
Not for a schedule award. Under FECA, chiropractors are recognized as physicians only for manual manipulation of the spine, and the Employees' Compensation Appeals Board has held that a chiropractor's opinion on permanent impairment of a scheduled member is outside that scope. The rating should come from a physician such as an MD or DO.
Can I get a schedule award for a back injury?
Not for the back itself — FECA doesn't list the spine as a scheduled member. However, if a work-related spinal injury causes nerve impairment in an arm or leg, that extremity impairment can be rated using the method OWCP applies under the 6th Edition and may support a schedule award.
How is a schedule award calculated?
Multiply the accepted impairment percentage by the maximum weeks for that body part, then pay that number of weeks at 66⅔% of your pay, or 75% with a dependent. For example, a 10% arm impairment equals 31.2 weeks of compensation (10% × 312 weeks).
Which edition of the AMA Guides does OWCP use?
OWCP uses the AMA Guides to the Evaluation of Permanent Impairment, Sixth Edition, for schedule award decisions issued after May 1, 2009. A rating under an older edition will generally need to be redone.
Can I receive a schedule award while I'm working?
Yes. Because a schedule award compensates permanent impairment rather than lost wages, you don't need to be off work to receive one. You claim it on Form CA-7.
What if OWCP's medical adviser disagrees with my rating?
OWCP's district medical adviser reviews every rating and may calculate a different percentage. If you disagree with the schedule award decision, you can submit additional medical evidence and use the appeal rights described in your decision letter. A detailed, well-documented rating reduces the chance of a dispute.
Ask about a 6th Edition impairment rating
Tell us about your accepted injury and where you are in treatment. Our team will call you to talk through MMI, your schedule award options and next steps.
- Ratings under the AMA Guides, 6th Edition
- Physician-led rating coordination OWCP can accept
- Help with the CA-7 schedule award claim
Prefer to talk now? Call (816) 452-4488