OAR 582-070-0010: General Policy

NOTE: For community rehabilitation programs and medical or related services refer also to OAR 582-010, 582-075 and 582-080. It is the policy of the OVRS to reimburse vendors who provide previously-authorized services and/or supplies to persons who qualify for such services. (1) Vendors shall be paid in accordance with the lesser of: (a) The vendor’s usual charge for such service, i.e., that fee for service which the vendor under ordinary circumstances charges to the general public for such services; or (b) A pre-determined charge that has been negotiated between the vendor and an agency person authorized to consummate agreements between this agency and the vendor. (2) In addition to any such general contracts or agreements, actual services to individuals must be specifically prior authorized and are not considered approved or billable until the vendor receives a completed Agency Authorization for Purchase (AFP) form or its equivalent, listing specific prior authorized services and estimated billable amounts, signed by the appropriate agency representative(s): (a) Only in extreme emergencies may services be prior authorized verbally and any such verbal authorization must be documented promptly and followed with a written AFP within 72 hours; (b) Apparent fraud, misrepresentation or substantial discrepancies between services rendered and billed amounts shall be investigated and, as appropriate, legal steps taken to prevent or recover overpayments. (3) Except as specified in OAR 582-070-0010(4), Rehabilitation Services funds will not be expended before OVRS determines that “comparable benefits and services” are not available to meet, in whole or in part, the cost of such services, unless such a determination would interrupt or delay: (a) The progress of the individual toward achieving the employment outcome identified in the Individualized Plan for Employment; (b) An immediate job placement; or (c) The provision of vocational rehabilitation services to any individual who is determined to be at extreme medical risk, based on medical evidence provided by appropriate qualified medical personnel. (4) The following vocational rehabilitation services are exempt from a determination of the availability of comparable services and benefits: (a) Assessment for determining eligibility and vocational rehabilitation needs; (b) Counseling and guidance, including information and support services to assist an individual in exercising informed choice; (c) Referral and other services to secure needed services from other agencies, including other components of the statewide workforce investment system, if those services are not available from OVRS; (d) Job-related services, including job search and placement assistance, job retention services, follow-up services, and follow-along services; (e) Rehabilitation Technology, including telecommunications, and other technological aids and devices. (f) Post-employment services consisting of any of the services in OAR 582-070-0010(4)(a)–(e); and (5) Purchases shall be of the most reasonable and satisfactory quality at the lowest available cost, subject to supervisory and/or administrative review and/or approval prior to authorization; accordingly, OVRS reserves the right to establish upper limits on the utilization of existing services, subject to an exception process. (6) Preliminary diagnostic assessment is limited to a review of existing data and such additional data as is necessary to determine eligibility or, for Rehabilitation Services, to assign priority for order of selection for service (when appropriate). Comprehensive assessment and/or extended evaluation services may be provided only until eligibility/ineligibility or nature and scope of needed Rehabilitation Services can be determined. Additionally, other services are available (including the use of Rehabilitation Technology services, as appropriate) to determine the nature, scope and types of services needed to attain a specific vocational rehabilitation objective of the eligible individual. Continued eligibility is contingent upon reasonable progress by the individual toward attainment of measurable intermediate objectives within time-lines arrived at and agreed to through joint counselor/individual development of the plan and any amendments thereto.