Beginning in 1997, SSA and the Department of Labor (DOL) signed a Memorandum of Understanding
(MOU) under which the Office of Workers' Compensation Programs in DOL provided select
programmatic, administrative management and general support functions assisting SSA
with the administration of the Black Lung Part B program.
On November 2, 2002, the President signed H.R. 5572, the “Black Lung Consolidation
of Administrative Responsibilities Act” (P.L. 107-275) that transferred responsibility
for administration of the Part B Black Lung program from us to DOL. Currently, most
aspects of the Part B program are being administered by DOL. The previous memorandum
of understanding (MOU) was replaced in 2004 by an “Agreement Covering Reimbursable
Services” between us and DOL. We continue to perform certain designated post-entitlement
actions pursuant to the Reimbursable Agreement.