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Pre-Authorized Expenses

Request Forms

Policies

Frequently Asked Questions

Submitting a Request

  • ​Requests should be submitted prior to work beginning on a case or travel occurring, however when this is not possible you may backdate your request to cover earlier service/travel dates.
  • Only the Long Form and the Aid and Assist Short Form may be backdated.
    • To backdate the Long Form: At the bottom of the form, you will see the question “Does this request need to be backdated?".  Select “yes" in the drop down and then you may enter the earliest date of service in the Effective Date box.
      • An additional box will pop up with a note asking you to provide justification. Please provide an answer to this question, otherwise our Review staff will not be able to approve an earlier effective date.
    • To backdate the Aid and Assist Short Form: You simply need to enter the earliest date of service in the Effective Date box.
  • When backdating a request, your submission/signature date should remain current. Only the effective date should be backdated.​​

  • ​Airfare can be requested on the Long Form.
  • You must book airfare within 60 days of the approval date of your authorization.
    • If this is not done, you will need to email our department at CSS@opds.state.or.us and ask to have the airfare reissued, otherwise you will not be able to book your flight.
  • Airfare must be pre-authorized and booked through Corporate Travel Management (CTM). Their contact information is printed in the travel section of the authorization.
    • If airfare is not booked through CTM and you purchase your own ticket, you
    • will not be reimbursed.​​

We've tried to capture the most commonly requested services in our drop downs, however if you are not able to find an appropriate option you may select Other, and in the fillable box that pops up, provide a brief description of the type of services that will be provided.

  • Travel time must be pre-authorized for all providers except the following:
    • Case managers
    • Investigators
    • Mitigators
    • Attorneys appointed on the case
  • Travel time for Case managers, Investigators and Mitigators is included in their total authorized service hours.
    • They may bill for travel time up to the total number of hours authorized, but it should not be requested separately on the PAE request.
  • Please see the Pre-Authorized Expenses policy section 3.22 for information on when travel time is not compensable.​​

  • Yes. We will review and approve the specific travel expenses requested. If we receive a request listing travel time but no mileage, we presume the provider does not intend to bill their mileage. Mileage will not be added automatically.
  • Please include the estimated number of miles the provider will need to reach their destination. This way we are able provide a more accurate total of authorized costs on the authorization.​

No. If you are assigned to more than one case for a client, please determine the case number with the highest charge, consolidate all cases for the client, and submit under that one case number.
  • Please do not submit a separate request for each case number your client has, and do not list all case numbers in the Case Number box at the top of the form.
  • Any other case numbers for the client should be listed under Question 4 of the Long Form, that way when we are reviewing your request, we can take into account all the cases that may be involved.
  • If there are multiple cases with the same level of charges, please choose the oldest case that is still open.​

  • If after following our Form Instructions, you continue to have issues with the submit button on the forms, please attach your completed form to an email and list the following information in your subject line.
    • ​Case number
    • Type of service (expert, psychological, investigation, travel, etc.)
    • Client name
    • Attorney name
  • This information auto-populates into the subject line when you click the submit button, so please include this information when submitting manually.
  • When submitting manually, please keep in mind that Long Form requests must be submitted to CSS@opds.state.or.us, however all Short Form requests must be submitted to CSSFasttrack@opds.state.or.us.​

To request services for a provider that is not yet approved with OPDC, please submit a Long Form request for the provider's services and attach a copy of their CV/resume.
  • A CV/resume is not needed for Investigators new to OPDC. They simply need to be DPSST licensed.
  • New provider information will be submitted to management for qualification and rate review.

After You've Submitted a Request

If you need to make a change to a PAE authorization, please email our department directly at CSS@opds.state.or.us with “AMENDMENT" in the subject line, and in the body of your email provide the authorization number you would like amended, a brief description of what you are needing changed and why, and confirmation that the authorization has not yet been billed on by the provider.
  • Please do not submit a new request form when seeking an amendment, as this can cause duplicate authorizations. You simply need to email the PAE department.
  • We cannot amend a request for a provider change from one company to another. You will need to withdraw the authorization and submit a new request for the new provider.
  • We cannot amend a request once the authorization has been paid on, even if it was a partial payment. Once a payment has been processed, the authorization is closed out and a new request form must be submitted for any services or expenses that remain.​

If you've received an authorization that is no longer needed, and that will not be submitted to Accounts Payable for payment, you may have the authorization withdrawn by emailing the PAE department directly.
  • Please provide the authorization number in the body of your email and indicate that the authorization will not be used, has not been billed on, and that you would like it withdrawn.​

  • If you submitted a request and later that same day realized you made a mistake, you may email our department directly with the corrected information.
    • Please make sure to reference the request you are correcting and include the case number and time of day you submitted the request.
    • Please do not submit a new request. Once we've seen your correction email, we will let you know if it is necessary for you to resubmit your request.
  • If you submitted your request one or more days prior to realizing you made a mistake, please wait until our department reaches out to you, or when you receive an authorization.
    • Our Intake staff is able to correct verifiable information while entering your request into the system. We will reach out to you for clarification when necessary.
    • Please do not submit a new request. When you resubmit your request it can cause confusion, which may result in duplicate entries or authorizations.
    • If you receive an authorization and still need to make a correction, you may email our department and request an amendment. (Please see “How do I amend a request?" for further instructions.)​

If you need a request expedited due to an impending trial or last-minute travel, please call our department directly to explain the need for an expedited approval. The PAE department can be reached by calling the OPDC main line at 503-378-3349 and following the prompts for Pre-Authorized Expenses.
  • Typically, Short Form requests will not be expedited, as they are already processed within 1-2 business days.

  • ​If you would like a denial reconsidered, please email our department directly at CSS@opds.state.or.us with “RECONSIDERATION" in the subject line, along with the authorization number you would like reconsidered. 
  • In the body of the email, please be sure to provide any additional justification that may be applicable or helpful in reviewing the reconsideration, based on the information provided in the Denial Letter.
  • Please make sure to provide supporting documentation if necessary.​

  • A Denial Letter is a formal denial of a request that explains why the services can't be approved by OPDC.
  • When you receive an email from our department stating we are unable to process your PAE request, typically it is not a denial of services; we simply need additional/corrected information in order to process your request.
    • This is considered to be a returned submission, as opposed to a formal denial of the request.​

  • Our turnaround time for processing PAE requests is typically 3-5 business days. If it has been less than 5 business days since you've submitted your request, we ask that you please wait to reach out regarding the status unless there is an immediate court matter.
  • If it has been 5 days or more since you've submitted your request, you may contact our department by email at CSS@opds.state.or.us, or by phone at 503-378-3349 (following the prompts for Pre-Authorized Expenses).
    • You will need to provide the case number, the type of service you were requesting, and the approximate date and time you submitted your request.
    • Please check both the attorney and assistant's inboxes and spam folders prior to reaching out for a status update.​

When our department receives a request for a large number of hours, we may split the hours between multiple authorizations so the provider can bill intermittently.
  • Investigation Short Form requests exceeding 40 hours will automatically be split into multiple authorizations.
  • If you are submitting on the Long Form and do not want your hours split onto multiple authorizations, select “no" to the question, “Do you want to have this authorization split?".
    • Please note, this question will only appear if you enter a quantity of 50 or more.​

Yes. If your provider needs additional service time to complete their work, you may submit an additional request for the remaining hours needed.
  • Please be sure to use the long form for subsequent requests.
  • Indicate in your request that the hours are a continuation of services from a previous authorization.
    • You will need to list the work that has been completed on the previous authorization, and the work that remains, to support the need for additional time.
  • Please do not submit an amendment request when additional hours are needed; a new request is required.​

Attorneys

​To update the recipients for PAE authorizations, the attorney must email CSS@opds.state.or.us with their bar number, and the email addresses that need to be added/removed.
  • If an assistant is submitting this email, they must Cc the attorney to indicate their approval of the changes.

  • To update contact information, the attorney must email CSS@opds.state.or.us with their bar number, and the information they would like to be updated.
    • ​If an assistant is submitting this email, they must Cc the attorney to indicate their approval of the changes.
  • Please note, other departments may have their own databases where they keep attorney contact information. Please make sure you are informing all applicable departments.​

  • No. Requests for co-counsel to provide direct client representation must be made in writing to the analyst assigned to the county in which those services are sought.
    • If approved, co-counsel will bill directly to Accounts Payable and does not need a PAE.
  • Please note, this does not apply to requests for Associate/Research counsel.
    • Associate/Research counsel can be used to assist with legal research or case preparation. They are not appointed to the case and do not provide direct client representation.​

If you are having trouble finding a specific type of provider, please contact our department directly. We may be able to generate a list of providers that are already approved and on file with OPDC who provide the type of service that is needed. 

Please note, OPDC doesn't recommend or refer specific service providers. It's up to the attorney to decide if a provider is qualified and a good match for their client's defense. Any provider information shared is just to help locate options that are already approved and on file with OPDC, in case they are requested through the PAE process.​

Interpreters

​Pre-Authorization is only required if the interpreter's rate exceeds the rate listed in the Schedule of Guideline Amounts OR if there is not an OJD Certified or Registered interpreter available.

​There is a list that is maintained by OJD, listing current providers and their contact information: Current Provider List

​Here is a link to the “I want to be a court interpreter" page on the OJD website: Court Interpreter Page

  • ​If you are billing the guideline rate, you do not need a PAE for interpretation (spoken or ASL).
  • If you are billing the guideline rate, you do not need a PAE for translation of court documents or attorney/client communication (written).
  • All other translation and transcription services from audio or video must be approved on a PAE authorization.

  • ​Yes, you will need a PAE authorization for all services.
  • All providers must be approved through PAE and will have a rate set for their services.
  • If you are not sure if you are approved, please email CSS@opds.state.or.us and we can confirm.
  • If OPDC does not have a CV or resume on file, one may be requested before services can be approved.  This is typically a one-time review process.

  • ​If the interpreter is certified or registered through OJD, and billing services at the guideline rate, a PAE authorization is not needed for written translation of attorney/client or court/client communication.
  • All translation and transcription services from audio or video must be approved on a PAE authorization.
  • All translation of discovery must be approved on a PAE authorization.

  • ​If the service was completed by phone or video appointment, the provider should list the attorney's name on the worksheet and then note “telephonic" on the signature line (instead of the signature).
  • If the attorney simply forgot to sign, or was unable to, please note that on the signature line.   

​When billing any interpretation or translation, the provider must list the dates of service on their invoice (or worksheet) along with the actual start and stop times. 

  • ​OPDC will pay a one-hour minimum if the service provided requires less than one hour.
  • If the interpretation is in conjunction with an in-custody polygraph or in-custody evaluation, OPDC will pay a four-hour minimum regardless of time spent interpreting. Actual interpretation time must still be documented. Interpreters must notate on the interpreter worksheet the name of the facility where services took place and identify the type of service (polygraph, psychological evaluation or drug and alcohol evaluation).

​Travel time and mileage:

  • If your services are approved on a PAE for the actual service time, the travel time and mileage must also be approved on that PAE authorization.
  • If your services are being billed as routine (without a PAE) your mileage and travel time are also routine, and do not require a PAE.
  • Any mileage more than 100 miles outside the state of Oregon must be approved on a PAE authorization.

Lodging and meals:

  • All overnight travel, lodging, meals, etc., would require a PAE authorization.​

  • ​If you have already been paid on the authorization, the attorney will need to request a new, separate authorization for the travel time and mileage.
  • If you have not been paid on the authorization, the attorney will need to email the PAE Intake staff at CSS@opds.state.or.us to request an amendment.  That should be done before submitting your invoice, so that you have an authorization with all the approved expenses included.​

Providers

  • New providers may submit their CV/resume to our department, along with specific details about what service(s) they would like to be approved for.
  • Alternatively, an attorney may submit a PAE request for a new provider with a copy of the provider's CV/resume attached.
    • Once received, the provider's CV/resume will be submitted to management for review.
    • When the review is complete, a staff member from the PAE department will reach out to the provider to confirm whether or not they were approved, and if so, what the approved rate will be.​

No. Unfortunately, we can only send authorizations to the attorney, who then must forward them to the provider.

To request a rate increase, a provider simply needs to email the PAE department a copy of their current or updated CV/resume, indicate they would like to request an increase to their approved rate, and provide the rate they desire.
  • This will be reviewed by management, and a staff member will reach out when a decision has been made.​

Expiration Dates

  • Starting in 2024, any PAE requests approved have an expiration date printed on the authorization. This date refers to the services approved on that authorization specifically, not the provider's services for the life of the case.
  • Authorizations will expire one year from the effective date and cannot be extended. The purpose of the one-year expiration is to keep all authorizations and funding current.
    • If an authorization is coming close to expiring, the provider must bill out all completed services, and counsel will need to request a new authorization for any work that remains.​

No. The expiration date only applies to the services approved on that authorization specifically. It does not apply to the provider's overall work on the case. Any work being billed on the authorization must be completed, and the billing must be submitted to Accounts Payable by the one-year expiration date.​

  • If a provider has realized an authorization has expired before they've had a chance to bill for their services, they should submit their bill to Accounts Payable immediately.
    • This will be considered a late billing; therefore, a letter must be included to specifically request an exception. Please be sure to include any relevant circumstances that contributed to the delay.
    • These submissions will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis by the Accounts Payable manager.
  • If an authorization has expired, counsel should not submit a new request for those services or any requests to extend the expiration date. Counsel should inform the provider to follow the above instruction to submit a letter of justification with their bill.

Other

Please contact Accounts Payable staff directly at AccountsPayable@opds.state.or.us for any questions regarding billing or payments.

​Yes! Feel free to save the following PDF to your computer for quick and easy access to our frequently asked questions. 


To use the PDF Fill-in forms correctly, you must use an Adobe Acrobat product - Pro or Reader. You can download a free version of Adobe Reader. Windows or Mac. You also MUST download the form and save it to your computer, then open it in Adobe for the form to process correctly. You cannot fill it out directly from your web browser.

Hourly Service and Expense Rates

Contact Information

Business Services
198 Commercial St SE, Suite # 205
Salem, Oregon 97301
Phone: 503.378.2700
 
Requests for PAE - Pre-Authorized Expenses may be emailed to the PAE department