| If
the physician who conducts a retiree's Comprehensive
Medical Examination (CME) determines that the retiree
may be able to return to performing the essential duties
of the position from which he/she retired or a similar
position after completion of a rehabilitation program,
the physician will submit a rehabilitation plan to PERAC’s
Rehabilitation Unit that includes the goals of the program,
the medical services necessary to achieve the goals,
the costs and the anticipated timeframes.
A PERAC Nurse
Case Manager will review the rehabilitation plan and
will discuss possible modifications with the physician.
PERAC’s
Disability Unit will submit the rehabilitation plan
to a vendor for utilization review to insure that
the rehabilitation services are reasonable and necessary.
If the utilization
review vendor determines that the proposed rehabilitation
plan is reasonable and necessary, PERAC's Disability
Unit applies fees to the plan which are based on the
Human Resource Division's Workers' Compensation medical
fee schedule.
A retiree
may terminate his/her participation in a rehabilitation
program if he or she can show good cause for doing
so. If a retiree refuses to participate or terminates
the rehabilitation program without good cause, the
Disability Unit will direct the retirement board to
suspend the member's retirement allowance. The board
must first give the retiree written notice of the
suspension and his/her opportunity to be heard by
the retirement board. The member may appeal this suspension
to the Contributory Retirement Appeal Board.
|
REHABILITATION
PROCESS
