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Scranton pension board hires third-party administrator
Times-Tribune - 11/30/2017
Nov. 30--Scranton's composite pension board on Wednesday hired a third-party administrator to oversee disability pensions.
VocRehab Inc. of Scranton will oversee a new process for disability pensions that requires applicants to be examined by a single medical specialist independent of the city and unions.
The police and fire unions agreed to the new process as part of a memorandum of understanding reached with Mayor Bill Courtright's administration in 2016.
Courtright pushed for changes to the disability application process after a 2014 Times-Tribune investigation revealed the city had the highest percentage of police officers and firefighters receiving disability pensions in the state in 2012.
The hiring of the firm removes the final issue that had held up the city's promised contribution of $22.8 million of the sewer sale proceeds into the police, fire and nonuniform employee pension funds.
Chris Casciano, the city's newly appointed business administrator, said he will begin the process to transfer the funds. He said he did not know when that would be complete.
VocRehab will handle the disability applications from start to finish, including identifying physicians who specialize in the type of injury the employee suffered and ensuring the employees attend appointments.
The board heard a presentation from the company on Nov. 15. It postponed awarding the contract to ensure the police and fire unions had no objection to the selection.
The three-year contract calls for the pension board to pay the company $85 per hour. VocRehab owner Thomas Boles has said a case manager works no more than 10 hours on any given case.
The board will also cover the cost of the specialist, which is expected to cost $1,200 to $1,500.
Contact the writer:
tbesecker@timesshamrock.com; 570-348-9137;
@tmbeseckerTT on Twitter
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