RESEP Clinic

RESEP Clinic

1.877.255.LUNG (1.877.255.5864)  

The Radiation Exposure Compensation Act (RECA) was passed by Congress in 1990 to help individuals who developed cancers and lung diseases as a result of their exposure to radiation from working in uranium industries or from atmospheric nuclear weapons testing. The Act was renewed and expanded in 2025 to include individuals who worked in uranium before 1991. The Radiation Exposure Screening and Education Program (RESEP) at National Jewish Health provides screening for diseases related to radiation exposure, referrals for patients needing further diagnostic or treatment procedures, and help with documenting claims under RECA.

Eligibility for RESEP Health Screening

You are eligible for a FREE screening through the NJH RESEP Clinic if you live in Colorado, Wyoming, or South Dakota, and meet one of these criteria:

  • Employed as a uranium worker for a minimum of one year (or 40 WLM) between January 1, 1942 and December 31, 1990.
    • Covered occupations include uranium miners, millers, ore transporters, core drillers, and mine remediation workers.
    • Your employment must have occurred at uranium mines or mills located in the states of Colorado, New Mexico, Arizona, Wyoming, South Dakota, Washington, Utah, Idaho, North Dakota, Oregon, and Texas.
  • Worked onsite during the atmospheric testing of a nuclear weapon before January 1, 1963.
  • Lived in an area downwind of atmospheric nuclear tests at the Nevada Test site between September 1944 and November 1962 

To find out if you are eligible for a free screening, please call us at 1.877.255.5864.


Screening Clinic Locations

The RESEP Clinic has appointments year-round at National Jewish Health in Denver. We also hold annual outreach clinics in partnership with local hospitals in Craig, Montrose, and Pueblo, Colorado as well as Casper, Wyoming. For more information about our clinics, call us at 1.877.255.5864.


Illnesses Related to Radiation Exposure

Uranium workers are at risk for developing:

  • Pneumoconiosis and silicosis (lung damage due to breathing in dust particles)
  • Fibrosis of the lung (interstitial lung disease)
  • Cor pulmonale (a specific type of heart failure due to nonmalignant lung disease)
  • Lung cancer
  • Kidney cancer
  • Chronic kidney diseases
  • Persons exposed to radiation at a nuclear test site (known as "on-site workers") or to radioactive fallout from the tests (known as "downwinders") are at risk for developing:
  • Leukemia and lymphoma
  • Multiple myeloma
  • Brain cancer
  • Pharyngeal or salivary gland cancer
  • Thyroid cancer
  • Breast cancer
  • Cancers of the digestive system (esophagus, stomach, small intestine, colon)
  • Pancreatic cancer
  • Cancer of liver, bile ducts or gall bladder
  • Bladder cancer
  • Ovarian cancer


How These Illnesses Are Detected

The RESEP Clinic offers in-depth confidential screening for illnesses that may be related to radiation exposure. Early diagnosis and medical care can often make a difference in quality of life and long-term survival.

FREE screening services include:

  • Medical and occupational history questionnaire
  • Physical exam
  • Spirometry (breathing test)
  • Oximetry (oxygen level in blood)
  • Chest X-ray with B-reads (detecting lung abnormalities caused by dust inhalation)
  • Health education and benefits counseling

To find out if you are eligible for a free screening, please call us at 1.877.255.5864.


Working Level Month (WLM)

A working level month (WLM) is a measurement of exposure to radioactive radon gas decay products or "radon daughters." Radon gas occurs naturally in the radioactive decay of uranium. Working level month calculations take into account the amount of radioactive radon daughters present in the air (working level) and the amount of time a worker is exposed to them.

For example, a miner working full-time for 1 month (170 hours per month) and exposed to 1 working level of radioactive radon gas would accumulate 1 WL of exposure. A miner working 170 hours/month for 4 months in a mine with 10 working levels of radioactive radon gas would accumulate 40 WLM's of exposure.

Radiation Exposure Compensation Act (RECA)

In 1990, Congress passed the Radiation Exposure Compensation Act (RECA). This act aids thousands of individuals adversely affected by the mining, transport, and processing of uranium ore and testing of nuclear weapons for the Nation's Cold War arsenal. The program is administered by the U.S. Department of Justice and provides compensation to eligible uranium workers, on-site participants and downwinders, or their eligible survivors, who developed certain cancers and other serious diseases as a result of radiation exposure. In 2025, Congress passed an amendment to RECA expanding the eligibility requirements based on several criteria.

To find out if you are eligible for a free screening, please call us at 1.877.255.5864.


How to File a Claim for RECA Compensation

Claims forms are available directly from the Department of Justice by mail or can be downloaded from their website. The Miners Clinic benefit counselors also have claim forms available. The completed claim form and supporting records are mailed to the Department of Justice.

Examples of the records that you will need include:

  • Medical records documenting the diagnosis of one of the covered diseases
  • Records documenting eligible work in the uranium industry or physical presence in one of the covered downwinder counties
  • You will also need certain documents to prove your identity such as your birth or marriage certificate.

In the event that the exposed worker or downwinder is deceased, certain eligible survivors may file a claim for the compensation on their behalf. Our Miners Clinic benefits counselors are happy to answer your questions about the health screening, eligibility for compensation, and filing a RECA claim. These services are FREE and supported by federally funded grants.

To find out if you are eligible for a free screening or if you need help filing for RECA compensation, please call us at 1.877.255.5864.