CalPERS-1204 Physician's Report on Disability

CalPERS relies on this report to decide disability and industrial disability retirement. The physician who specializes in the member's disabling condition gives history, findings, diagnoses and an opinion on whether the member is substantially incapacitated from their usual duties, permanently or for at least 12 consecutive months. The physician sends it with medical records straight to CalPERS, or to the employer for Local Safety members.

Who completes it

A physician who specializes in the disabling condition completes Sections 2 through 6. The member's details go in Section 1; for Local Safety members, the employer completes Section 1 and adds its return address before giving the form to the physician.

How to fill it in

Local Safety member checkbox and employer information

Page 1 has a box for Local Safety members, police and fire members of contracting agencies. When it is checked, the employer has filled in its name, contact person and address, and the report goes back to that employer with the medical records. For all other members, the report goes to CalPERS. The form warns that every question must be answered or the application is incomplete.

Section 1: Member Information

Records the member's name, CalPERS ID or Social Security number, position or occupational title and birth date, plus the medical record number for Kaiser patients. The position title tells the physician which job's duties the incapacity opinion in Section 5 must address.

Section 2: Member History

The physician gives the history of the illness or injury: date of first visit, date of last examination, date the illness or injury occurred and the date the member became unable to perform job duties. Mark the origin as work related or non-work related and describe how the injury occurred, which matters for industrial disability retirement.

Section 3: Examination Findings

Enter the chief complaints and subjective symptoms, along with the member's height, weight and blood pressure. Objective examination findings are recorded in Section 4, paired with each diagnosis and its diagnostic tests and restrictions. The section's printed note again asks for the history of the illness or injury.

Section 4: Diagnosis

For up to two diagnoses, give objective examination findings, diagnostic test dates and findings, and any restrictions or limitations, with comments. Include copies of the medical records and referenced diagnostic test reports. If space runs out, attach a sheet, and label or write the member's Social Security number on every attachment.

Section 5: Member Incapacity

After reviewing the duty statement and physical requirements form, answer six questions: whether the member is currently substantially incapacitated from usual duties, listing the specific duties they cannot perform; whether incapacity is permanent or will last at least 12 consecutive months; whether the duty statement, physical requirements form and information from the member or employer were reviewed; and whether medical records are enclosed. Prophylactic restrictions do not qualify.

Section 6: Physician's Signature

Indicate whether CalPERS may release a photocopy of the report to the member on written request, then print name, phone, fax and address, and sign with title, medical specialty and date. Send the report to CalPERS, or to the Local Safety employer, and do not give it to the member.

Common mistakes

  • Leaving any question unanswered; CalPERS treats the form as incomplete, which delays processing of the member's disability retirement application.
  • Answering Section 5 without reviewing the member's job duty statement and the Physical Requirements of Position/Occupational Title form.
  • Sending the report without copies of the medical records and referenced diagnostic test reports that support the opinion.
  • Giving the completed report to the member instead of sending it directly to CalPERS or, for Local Safety members, to the employer.
  • Basing the incapacity opinion on prophylactic restrictions, which CalPERS states are not a basis for disability retirement.
  • Attachments without the member's Social Security number labeled or written on each one.

Submitting and payment

How to submit it
The physician mails or faxes the report with supporting medical records directly to the CalPERS Disability & Survivor Benefits Division, never to the member; for Local Safety members it goes back to the employer listed on page 1. Members can also file the overall application in myCalPERS.
Who pays
The form does not address payment for the treating physician's report; when CalPERS orders an Independent Medical Examination, CalPERS pays for it.

Good to know

  • Before answering Section 5, the physician reviews the member's job duty statement and the CalPERS-0700 Physical Requirements of Position/Occupational Title form; the report asks whether both were reviewed.
  • Prophylactic restrictions are not a basis for disability retirement. The test is a substantial inability to perform the usual and customary duties of the position with the current employer.
  • Every question must be answered or the application is incomplete. A missing report, physical requirements form or duty statement delays the decision and may lead CalPERS to cancel the application.
  • The member signs CalPERS-1203, Authorization to Disclose Protected Health Information, for each physician and attaches it to this report. CalPERS asks for records from at least one year before the last day of work.

Get the official form

Download the current version from the source each time; forms change without notice.

Physician's Report on Disability

How this list is checked

A form is listed only after its name and number were confirmed on the issuing agency’s or insurer’s own website, or in the form itself. Each entry links to that source. The list was last checked in October 2026. Forms and their requirements change without notice, so check the official page for the current version before you complete one.

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Frequently asked questions

Who should complete the CalPERS Physician's Report on Disability?

A physician who specializes in the member's disabling condition. CalPERS's application guide tells members to give the form to the physician or physicians specializing in the disabling condition, along with the job duty statement and the Physical Requirements of Position/Occupational Title form, so the opinion addresses the member's actual job.

Where do I send the CalPERS-1204?

Directly to the CalPERS Disability & Survivor Benefits Division by mail or fax, with copies of the medical records and diagnostic test reports. Do not give it to the member. If the Local Safety member box is checked, return it with the medical reports to the employer named on page 1, which makes the disability determination.

Can the member get a copy of the physician's report?

Only if the physician allows it. Section 6 asks whether CalPERS has permission to release a photocopy of the report to the member upon written request, with Yes and No boxes. The physician should not hand the completed report to the member directly.

What does substantially incapacitated mean for CalPERS?

The member must be substantially unable to perform the usual and customary duties of their position with the current employer, due to a condition expected to last at least 12 consecutive months or to result in death. Disability does not require inability to perform every function, and prophylactic restrictions do not qualify.