Black Lung Benefits Improvement Act of 2023

The Black Lung Benefits Improvement Act of 2023 aims to improve access to benefits for coal miners and their families suffering from black lung disease. It clarifies eligibility based on medical evidence (including chest CT scans), creates a program to pay attorneys' fees and medical expenses for qualifying claims, and ensures benefits adjust for inflation. The bill also establishes a process for reevaluating denied claims based on discredited chest radiographs and requires improved disclosure of employment information for claims. These changes are designed to make the benefits process more efficient and fair for miners who developed black lung disease due to coal dust exposure.