BELMONT COUNTY, Ohio — A group of coal miners represented by the United Mine Workers of America (UMWA) appeared before the Belmont County Commissioners during their regular Wednesday meeting to raise awareness about black lung disease and to call for increased federal funding and expanded services for affected miners.
The miners, many of whom are suffering from or at risk for black lung — formally known as coal workers’ pneumoconiosis — delivered personal testimonies and urged local leaders to advocate for stronger protections and sustained funding under the federal Black Lung Benefits Act.
The Act, enacted to provide monthly financial payments and medical benefits to miners who are totally disabled due to black lung disease, also supports the surviving dependents of miners who die as a result of the disease. However, the group emphasized that access to benefits and services remains a challenge for many coal miners across the region, especially as federal funding faces periodic threats.
Under the Black Lung Benefits Act, two categories of medical services are provided: diagnostic testing and ongoing medical treatment. Diagnostic services — including chest X-rays, breathing tests, blood gas studies, and physical examinations — are available to all claimants to determine the presence and severity of the disease. For those awarded monthly benefits, the program covers treatments ranging from prescription drugs and hospital visits to specialized equipment such as oxygen tanks and home hospital beds.
In order for a miner’s survivors to receive benefits, pneumoconiosis must be proven as a significant contributing factor in the miner’s death — unless the miner’s claim was approved before 1982.
The UMWA plans to continue its outreach in counties throughout coal country, pushing for legislative reforms to ensure better health outcomes for current and retired coal miners and the Belmont County Commissioners added their support.
