Overview of Vocational Services and Goods

DVR uses these codes to determine allowable fees for the purchase of most medical and psychological assessment and treatment services.

Services that are typically provided over a period of months have a monthly payment rate. Unless otherwise noted, the monthly payment rate requires a minimum of 30 hours of contact between the service provider and the individual. Partial months of service (1-29 hours of direct service to an individual) are paid at the prescribed hourly rate. Payments for full or partial months of service include the preparation and provision of a written report(s) and the provider's travel costs, including travel time, within normal service delivery area. See “Provider Travel Time (on this page).”

Unless otherwise noted, partial hours of service will be rounded to the nearest quarter-hour. In most cases, payment is made only for hours in which the provider is rendering services directly to an individual. Payment includes the preparation and provision of a written report(s) and the provider's travel costs, including travel time, within the normal service delivery area. See “Provider Travel.”

Separate fee ranges have been established for certain services according to the settings in which they are rendered.

These are environments and/or structures designed specifically to provide services to persons with disabilities and other special populations, such as community rehabilitation program facilities, clubhouses, independent living centers and residential facilities, extended employment facilities, etc.

These are real-life settings appropriate to the type of service, such as real work settings, community-based transitional employment program sites, home, or community environments, training facilities serving the general public, etc.

Equipment, tools, and other non-prescription devices purchased by DVR for use by an individual in a training program or for employment remain the property of the State of Colorado until successful closure from the DVR program occurs. When such items are initially issued, the service record will contain written acknowledgment of State ownership from the individual receiving the equipment.

Upon termination of a program that does not result in a successful vocational rehabilitation outcome, the individual will be requested, in writing, to return any equipment purchased by DVR. If the equipment is not returned after two such requests, recovery efforts may be turned over to the Office of the Attorney General.

Recovered items will be retained in field offices to be reissued to other individuals with disabilities who may have need of such items. Documentation of re-issued items will be placed in the service record of the individual from whom state property was recovered as well in the service record of the individual to whom it is being reissued.

Pursuant to Section 8-40-202 of the Colorado Revised Statutes, individuals participating in the DVR program are covered by the State of Colorado’s workers’ compensation insurance when they are receiving diagnostic or training services sponsored by DVR. Examples of these types of services include but are not limited to evaluations, situational assessments, personal and work adjustment training, vocational training, work experiences and on-the-job training in accordance with DVR’s On-the-Job Training Agreement.

If you have any questions concerning DVR’s workers’ compensation coverage for participants of this program, you can contact your local DVR office or DVR administration at 303-318-8571.

Service providers and vendors must submit invoices to the originating DVR office by mail, fax, or encrypted email as follows:

• Within 15 days of completion of a service or receipt of a good and/or service, or,

• The 15th day of the following month for ongoing services (e.g., job preparation and development services)

• Postsecondary training invoices are due 15 days after the postsecondary institution applies financial aid (e.g., Pell grant)

• Health care provider invoices are due 15 days after insurance has been applied, including Medicaid

NOTE: The DVR program is funded by federal Vocational Rehabilitation Services grants. Each award has a limited period of performance during which funds can be obligated, goods/services provided, and obligations liquidated. The federal award can not fund goods or services provided outside the applicable period of performance. Additionally, per CRS 24-30-202(5.5), Financial obligations of the State payable after the current State Fiscal Year are contingent upon funds for that purpose being appropriated, budgeted and otherwise made available and DVR funds are not continuously appropriated, nor do they roll over. 

To ensure effective management of DVR’s award and allowability of all expenditures, DVR requires all invoices (and support documentation as needed) will be submitted within 45 days from the date the authorized goods or services are completed. Late invoices will result in denial of payment if appropriate funds are no longer available. Repeated failure to invoice DVR timely may disqualify the vendor from providing future services.

Postsecondary training: If DVR has not received an invoice 45 days after financial aid has been applied, a vendor forfeits all rights to be paid for services rendered and/or goods provided.

Health care providers: If DVR has not received an invoice 45 days after insurance has been applied, including Medicaid, a vendor forfeits all rights to be paid for services rendered and/or goods provided.

Invoices must contain the following information, at a minimum:

• Dates of service

• DVR authorization number

• Invoice total

• Itemized list of fees according to authorization

• Name of the provider

• Provider’s invoice number

• Provider mailing address

An example of a generic DVR invoice may be located on the DVR Partners and Providers webpage at: https://www.colorado.gov/pacific/dvr/vendors-providers.

DVR cannot reimburse sales or use taxes. Vendors and service providers who do not meet the above criteria for timely invoicing may have their vendor/provider status terminated with DVR. DVR will pay vendors for all amounts due within 45 days after receipt of products or services, all required reports, and an invoice with the correct amount due.

(Procedure code XX-15, for non-interpreter/communication assistant services)

Whenever a vocational service is scheduled but not actually provided due to cancellation with less than 24 hours’ notice or an individual has a "no-show," DVR may pay either one-half of the allowable fee for a scheduled day of service or $150.00, whichever is less. These are the maximum allowable fees for cancelled or missed appointments, and payment will only be made if requested by the provider. Counselors should negotiate the lowest possible cost in such circumstances. (Does not include interpreter or communication assistant services; please see “Chapter 9: Communication Services”).

(Procedure codes 02020-34, 02020-35, 02020-36, 31050-05, 31050-06, 31050-07, P31050-05, P31050-06, P31050-07, P31050-09, P31050-10)

DVR may pay for a provider’s travel time in excess of 30 minutes one-way if the business address (starting location of travel) and service location is beyond the seven- (7-) county Denver Metro Area (counties of Adams, Arapahoe, Broomfield, Boulder, Denver, Douglas, and Jefferson). For individuals served outside of the Denver Metro Area, travel time may be paid if the vendor’s travel is in excess of 30 minutes one-way outside of the provider’s normal service area (e.g., outside of a town, city limits, tri-county area, etc.).

Payment Rate

• Provider’s hourly rate, payable in 15-minute increments (exclude first 30 minutes of one- way travel and the 7-county Denver Metro Area)

• If there is no hourly provider rate, travel may be paid at the rate of $20.00 per hour, payable in 15-minute increments (excluding first 30 minutes of one-way travel and 7- county Denver Metro Area)

• Flat Rate (exceptional or out-of-state), rarely used, negotiable

• A provider serving more than one individual and/or providing more than one service is payable the hourly rate of the least costly service per trip

• A “trip” is defined as the segment of travel from one destination to another outside of a service area

• A provider traveling to more than one town or city excludes the first 30 minutes for each trip between individuals.

Examples

• Example 1: A DVR Rehabilitation Counselor authorizes a provider in Durango to travel to Cortez to meet with an individual. This trip typically takes 45 minutes one-way, and the Rehabilitation Counselor authorizes for two hours to ensure that adequate hours are available if travel takes longer than expected. The provider invoices for 15-minute increments of travel to the individual after deducting 30 minutes of travel time each way, 30 minutes total. The Rehabilitation Counselor cancels the 90 minutes of unused time left on the authorization.

• Example 2: A DVR Rehabilitation Counselor authorizes a provider in Denver to provide a service in Fort Collins. The trip typically takes one hour, 15-minutes, one-way. The Rehabilitation Counselor authorizes three hours of travel at the provider’s hourly rate (two hours each way) to allow for unexpected delays. The provider invoices for 15-minute increments of travel to the individual after deducting 30 minutes of travel time each way, 90 minutes. The Rehabilitation Counselor cancels the remaining 90 minutes of unused time left on the authorization.

(Procedure code 27050-02)

Community-based site setup is payment to a vendor for finding, developing, and securing a new community-based site for adjustment training, assessment, evaluation, trial work experience, or paid work experience. This is a one-time site development fee, which is only paid if the site is successfully secured. If an agency already has an established site, payment will not be made.

Payment Rate: Up to $250.00 per community-based site setup

Service providers must provide a written report and invoice for each community-based site that is established for the individual with a disability. Service providers may not invoice for community-based sites that were previously established, and the community-based site must be utilized and confirmed by the individual with a disability.

(Procedure codes 08107-01, 08107-02)

This is payment to an employer that is available only when the employment setting provides an integrated, competitive work environment, the individual’s performance provides no net benefit to the employer, and the employer is not being paid by DVR to provide any other service to the individual. The payment offsets costs incurred by the employer, such as training costs.

Monthly Payment Rate

• 30+ hours of individual on-site per month

• Up to $540.00 per month

• Maximum of two months

Payment for Partial Months

• 1-29 hours per month

• Up to $18.00 per hour

• Maximum of two months

Providers who approach $250,000 in encumbered or actual payments during a state fiscal year (July 1 – June 30) are required to complete a Contractor/Provider Agreement that further details agreement to the terms and conditions of the Authorization/PO for DVR service, the Vendor Code of Ethics, Provider Standards, the DVR Fee Schedule, and Provider Qualifications. This agreement is valid for five (5) years, and DVR notifies the provider when the Contractor/Provider Agreement will be required. Failure to return the Agreement within the designated time frame may result in services with the provider being suspended or terminated.