2015 Messages from the Special Master

Estimados Amigos,

El 18 de diciembre del 2015, el Presidente Obama firmó la reautorización la Ley James Zadroga 11-S de Salud y Compensación. Esto incluye la reautorización del Fondo de Compensación de las Victimas del 11 de Septiembre (VCF por sus siglas en inglés) por 5 años más, el cual beneficiará a los individuos afectados por los eventos y secuelas del 9/11. 

Szanowni Państwo,  

18 grudnia 2015 r., Prezydent Obama podpisał przepisy reaktywujące Ustawę im. Jamesa Zadrogi o opiece zdrowotnej i odszkodowaniach dla ofiar 9/11 (James Zadroga 9/11 Health and Compensation Act) uchwaloną w 2010 r. Dotyczy to również reaktywacji Funduszu Odszkodowań dla Ofiar 11 września (September 11th Victim Compensation Fund, VCF) na następne 5 lat, którego celem jest pomoc osobom dotkniętym wydarzeniami z 11 września i ich następstwami.  

Dear Friends,

On December 18, 2015, President Obama signed into law a bill reauthorizing the James Zadroga 9/11 Health and Compensation Act of 2010. This includes reauthorization of the September 11th Victim Compensation Fund (“VCF”) for another 5 years, which will benefit individuals impacted by the events of 9/11 and its aftermath.

亲爱的朋友们： 

2015 年 12 月 18 日，奥巴马总统签署了一项法案，再次批准《2010 年詹姆士·扎德罗伽 9/11 健 康与赔偿法案》。这包括再次批准未来五年的 9/11 受害人赔偿基金（VCF），而受 9/11 事件及 其余波影响的人员将因此而受益。 

新法指示 VCF“尽快”向“A 组索赔”（即 2015 年 12 月 17 日或之前做出损失判定的索赔）的 索赔人支付“全额赔偿”。为满足此要求，我已调动额外工作人员去支持支付流程，从而在不影 响对我们的项目有至关重要的质量控制措施的前提下迅速支付相关款项。 

新法同时也要求对 VCF 有关评估 B 组索赔和计算相关损失的政策和流程做出重要改动。B 组索赔 即不属于新法所界定的 A组索赔的索赔。新法规定针对合格 B 组索赔人的资金。我正与我的团队 一起工作，以确定新法对索赔人以及我们的日常运作的影响。 

在制定新的政策及流程的同时，我们也在重新评估提出索赔所需的文件（包括索赔表和附加材 料）、提出和审查索赔的系统以及在我们网站上公布的信息。我将此看作复审我们的索赔表、重 新设计我们的在线系统并调整相关流程的机会，从而满足新的要求，并提高我们的工作效率。

This September 11th, the Victim Compensation Fund (“VCF”) focuses its attention on the work that remains ahead of us. Our commitment to this work is the most important way the Fund can honor the sacrifice of those who were lost on September 11, 2001, and those who continue to struggle.

I am proud to announce that the September 11th Victim Compensation Fund (VCF) has made loss determinations of more than $1.3 billion. As of June 30, 2015, the VCF has approved 11,770 eligibility claims and made 5,636 loss decisions, totaling $1,310,149,991. First responders account for 91 percent of the total loss amount. Individuals with cancer diagnoses account for 18 percent of the awards. This information and additional updated program statistics are available.

I am proud to announce that the VCF has made loss determinations of more than $1 billion. As of March 31, 2015, the VCF has approved 10,549 eligibility claims and rendered 4,415 loss decisions, totaling $1,058,398,144. First responders account for 92 percent of the total loss amount. Individuals with cancer diagnoses account for 27 percent of the awards. This information and additional updated program statistics are available.

The VCF will deny eligibility claims when claimants do not respond to multiple requests for missing information. Many eligibility claims are submitted without required supporting documents. The VCF makes multiple attempts to work with the claimant and/or the attorney to obtain the necessary supporting documentation so that the VCF can determine eligibility. If the claimant does not respond to this outreach (after a minimum of two requests) the VCF will deny the eligibility claim.

Today, the September 11th Victim Compensation Fund (VCF) issued updated program statistics. As of Jan. 2, 2015, the VCF has found 9,677 claimants eligible for compensation and has made 3,128 compensation determinations (approximately 67 percent of the compensation claims that have been submitted with appropriate supporting documentation). The total value of those compensation determinations is $804,116,233.