Minnesota Administrative Rules

5220.1250 ROLES OF REGISTERED REHABILITATION PROVIDERS.

An entity may be approved to provide rehabilitation services either as a rehabilitation vendor or as a qualified rehabilitation consultant firm. An individual may be approved to provide rehabilitation services as a qualified rehabilitation consultant intern or, in cases of completion of internship and registration renewal, as a qualified rehabilitation consultant.

A qualified rehabilitation consultant and a qualified rehabilitation consultant intern are approved for the purpose of developing, administering, and implementing a rehabilitation plan, including the provision of rehabilitation services, in accordance with Minnesota Statutes, chapter 176 and the rules adopted to administer it.

A qualified rehabilitation consultant firm is approved for the purpose of employing qualified rehabilitation consultants, qualified rehabilitation consultant interns, and other professional staff as provided in part 5220.1610.

A rehabilitation vendor is approved for the purpose of providing the workers' compensation rehabilitation services of job development and job placement, vocational testing, job seeking skills, labor market survey, postplacement follow-up, and transferrable skills analysis under an approved rehabilitation plan.

The roles of vendor and consultant are distinct and, therefore, a rehabilitation vendor or its employee may not be, or function as, a qualified rehabilitation consultant firm, a qualified rehabilitation consultant, or a qualified rehabilitation consultant intern. Nor may a qualified rehabilitation consultant firm, qualified rehabilitation consultant, or qualified rehabilitation consultant intern be or function as a rehabilitation vendor or as the agent of a vendor.

The distinction of roles between rehabilitation vendor and qualified rehabilitation consultant means the following: A rehabilitation vendor and its employees may provide job development and job placement services under an approved rehabilitation plan for any qualified employee; a qualified rehabilitation consultant firm and its employees may provide job development and job placement services only in cases for which a qualified rehabilitation consultant or qualified rehabilitation consultant intern employed by that firm is the assigned qualified rehabilitation consultant.

There shall be no ownership or financial relationships of any kind between any rehabilitation vendor and qualified rehabilitation consultant firm, qualified rehabilitation consultant, or qualified rehabilitation consultant intern.

The commissioner shall review the professional activities and services of rehabilitation providers to determine whether the activities and services are reasonable and comply with the standards of performance and professional conduct contained in Minnesota Statutes, chapter 176, parts 5220.1800, 5220.1801, 5220.0100 to 5220.1900, and orders issued under those statutes or rules.

Statutory Authority:

MS s 176.102; 176.83

History:

16 SR 2520; 17 SR 3361; 49 SR 1383

Published Electronically:

July 10, 2025