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Messages from the Special Master

Attorney General Lynch Names Rupa Bhattacharyya as Special Master of the September 11th Victim Compensation Fund

July 21, 2016

WASHINGTON – Attorney General Loretta E. Lynch today announced that she has chosen Rupa Bhattacharyya to head the September 11th Victim Compensation Fund (VCF) after current VCF Special Master Sheila L. Birnbaum steps down later this month. 

Messages from the Special Master

Message from Sheila Birnbaum regarding her departure from the VCF

July 21, 2016

VCF Team, 

It has been a great privilege and honor for me to serve as Special Master of the 9/11 VCF for the last five years.  With all of your steady and devoted hands, the claims process is now wellsettled and proceeding apace, and new procedures have been set up to address the challenges of the recent re-authorization.  I believe it is a good time to step down and hand the reins over to a new Special Master.

Messages from the Special Master

A Message from Special Master Sheila Birnbaum

July 15, 2016

Today, the September 11th Victim Compensation Fund (“VCF”) issued updated program statistics. The report includes statistics as of July 10, 2016 on the status of Group A payments, and information on the eligibility and compensation decisions for both Group A and Group B claims.

Resource

Law Firm Meeting Notes

June 28, 2016

Notes posted from June 15, 2016 VCF conference call with law firms.

Associated Document:
Messages from the Special Master

来自特别监察官 Sheila Birnbaum 的消息——VCF 再授权的最新情况

June 15, 2016

亲爱的朋友们: 

自 2015 年 12 月 VCF 再授权后,我已不时公布我们所取得的最新进展以及我们为执行再授权法 规所要求的变动所采取的各项措施。我已在数则消息中提到,更新法规及发布临时最终规则的法 定截止时间为 2016 年 6 月 15 日。经过数月对已更新法规的研究,以及与参与规则制定流程的 政府实体进行密切协调之后,我很高兴地宣布暂行最终规则自即日起生效,并已发布在网上供公 众查阅和审核。另外,此规则已正式发布于联邦公报中,并且为期 30 天的征求意见期也已开始。 有关如何提交意见的相关信息,请参阅相关文件。将此法规作为暂行最终规则发布后,一旦获得 B 组资金,我们即可开始做出 B 组赔偿决议。与此同时,请仍然允许我仔细考虑在规则发布后所 收到的任何意见,并在公布最终规则之前做出任何必要修改。

Messages from the Special Master

Komunikat pani Syndyk Sheila Birnbaum – aktualizacja informacji dotyczących reaktywacji funduszu VCF

June 15, 2016

Szanowni Państwo, od momentu reaktywacji funduszu VCF, która miała miejsce w grudniu 2015 roku, informuję Państwa na bieżąco o postępach i poszczególnych działaniach podejmowanych przez nas w celu wdrożenia zmian wymaganych zgodnie ze zmienioną ustawą. W kilku z przekazanych dotąd komunikatów wspominałam o dacie 15 czerwca 2016 r., będącej ustawowym terminem aktualizacji naszych przepisów i wydania Tymczasowych zasad ostatecznych.

Messages from the Special Master

Message from Special Master Sheila Birnbaum - Update on VCF Reauthorization

June 15, 2016

Dear Friends,

Resource

Law Firm Meeting Notes

May 31, 2016

Notes posted from May 24, 2016 VCF conference call with law firms.

Associated Document:
Messages from the Special Master

Message from Special Master Sheila Birnbaum - Update on VCF Reauthorization

May 24, 2016

Dear Friends,

I am very happy to report to you today that we have paid over $1 billion dollars to claimants since the VCF reopened in 2011. This includes all payments made to date – either partial or in full – on Group A claims. I am tremendously proud of the VCF team for reaching this milestone, and deeply touched by the calls and letters we have received from claimants expressing their appreciation for the VCF’s efforts.

Messages from the Special Master

Message from Special Master Sheila Birnbaum

April 15, 2016

Today, the September 11th Victim Compensation Fund (VCF) issued updated program statistics. This report shows the progress we have made since the VCF was reauthorized in December 2015.

Resource

Information for Surrogates and Probate Courts

March 25, 2016

Information for Surrogates and Probate Courts: VCF Treatment of Letters of Administration or Other Court Orders Providing Limitations on the Authority of a Personal Representative – Effect on Group A Payments - you can print and take this document to the court.

Resource

Law Firm Meeting Notes

March 25, 2016

Notes posted from March 24, 2016 VCF meeting with law firms.

Associated Document:
Messages from the Special Master

Message from Special Master Sheila Birnbaum - Update on Group A Payments

March 1, 2016

I am pleased to announce that as of the end of the day on February 29, the VCF has authorized full payments on over 1,000 Group A claims at a total authorized value of more than $233.4 million.

Messages from the Special Master

特别监察官希拉∙伯恩鲍姆 (Sheila Birnbaum) 寄语 – VCF 再授权的最新情况

February 22, 2016

亲爱的朋友们: 
 
2016 年 1 月 20 日,即再授权法案签署成为法律后一个月,我们在网站上发布了信息,其中包 括解释最新政策和程序的常见问题解答 (FAQ),以及处理 A 组付款和审查 B 组索赔的预期时间 表。   

我们的计划需要对人员和资源进行重大重新分配,因此我们的团队长时间努力工作以进行实施。 在此,我很高兴地向大家介绍到目前为止我们取得的最新进展,并借此机会,说明我们的原计划 需要进行的一些变动。

A 组赔款 

Messages from the Special Master

Komunikat Syndyka Sheila Birnbaum - aktualizacja na temat reaktywacji funduszu VCF

February 22, 2016

Szanowni Państwo,  

20 stycznia 2016 r., w miesiąc po podpisaniu reaktywacji Ustawy, zamieściliśmy na naszej stronie internetowej informacje zawierające najczęściej zadawanie pytania („FAQ”), które wyjaśniają zaktualizowane zasady i procedury oraz harmonogram wypłacania wniosków z grupy A oraz rozpatrywania wniosków z grupy B.   

Messages from the Special Master

Mensaje de la Auxiliar Judicial Sheila Birnbaum. Actualización de la reautorización del VCF

February 22, 2016

Estimados amigos:

El 20 de enero de 2016, un mes después de que la propuesta de reautorización fuera aprobada como ley, publicamos información en nuestro sitio web que incluía las Preguntas Frecuentes (Frequently Asked Questions, FAQ) que explicaban las políticas y procedimientos actualizados y nuestro lapso estimado para procesar los pagos del Grupo A y renovar los reclamos del Grupo B.   

Messages from the Special Master

Message from Special Master Sheila Birnbaum - Update on VCF Reauthorization

February 22, 2016

Dear Friends,

On January 20, 2016, one month after the reauthorization bill was signed into law, we posted information to our website that included Frequently Asked Questions (“FAQs”) explaining updated policies and procedures, and our expected timeline for processing Group A payments and reviewing Group B claims.

Messages from the Special Master

Message from Special Master Sheila Birnbaum

February 9, 2016

Our Annual Report released today reflects a year of significant progress for the September 11th Victim Compensation Fund ("VCF"). Through the dedication and hard work of our team, our ongoing work with claimants and counsel, and our continuing collaboration with other third parties, we were able to continue our focus on efficiently and accurately processing claims and render an increasing number of award determinations.

Resource

CMS Enhancements

February 1, 2016

Changes made to the Claims Management System to reflect the VCF reauthorization.

Associated Document:
Resource

Law Firm Meeting Notes

January 28, 2016

Notes posted from January 27, 2016 VCF conference call with law firms.

Associated Document:
Messages from the Special Master

来自特别监察官希拉∙伯恩鲍姆(Sheila Birnbaum)的消息——VCF 再次获批准

December 30, 2015

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。