Certification of continuing eligibility for disability benefits

A. Once each year during the first five years following retirement of a member of a state or statewide retirement system on a disability retirement allowance, and once in every three-year period thereafter, the appropriate board of trustees may require any disability beneficiary who has not yet attained the equivalent age of regular retirement to undergo a medical examination, at the beneficiary's expense, such examination to be made at the place of residence of said beneficiary if he is immovable or other place mutually agreed upon, by a physician on the State Medical Disability Board or a board designated specialist. The examining physician shall submit a report to the board of trustees recommending either the continuation or cessation of the beneficiary's disability status. A contested decision shall be appealed under the procedures described in R.S. 11:218. B. Should any disability beneficiary who has not yet attained the equivalent age of regular retirement refuse to submit to at least one medical examination in any such year by a medical board physician designated by the board of trustees, his allowance shall be discontinued until his withdrawal of such refusal, and should his refusal continue for one year all his rights in and to his disability pension shall be revoked by the board of trustees. C. The board of trustees, upon receipt of a final and binding report from a member of the State Medical Disability Board declaring a beneficiary's total disability to have ceased, shall order the discontinuation of the disability allowance. D. Neither the former receipt of, nor the involuntary termination of disability benefits shall affect the right of any person to any regular retirement benefits based upon age or service to which he is eligible.