(a) Content of the request.

(1) The request for an ALJ hearing or a review of a QIC dismissal must be made in writing. The request must include all of the following—

(i) The name, address, and Medicare health number of the beneficiary whose claim is being appealed, and the beneficiary's telephone number if the beneficiary is the appealing party and not represented.

(ii) The name, address, and telephone number, of the appellant, when the appellant is not the beneficiary.

(iii) The name, address, and telephone number, of the designated representative, if any.

(iv) The Medicare appeal number or document control number, if any, assigned to the QIC reconsideration or dismissal notice being appealed.

(v) The dates of service of the claim(s) being appealed, if applicable.

(vi) The reasons the appellant disagrees with the QIC's reconsideration or other determination being appealed.

(2) The appellant must submit a statement of any additional evidence to be submitted and the date it will be submitted.

(3) Special rule for appealing statistical sample and/or extrapolation. If the appellant disagrees with how a statistical sample and/or extrapolation was conducted, the appellant must—

(i) Include the information in paragraphs (a)(1) and (2) of this section for each sample claim that the appellant wishes to appeal;

(ii) File the request for hearing for all sampled claims that the appellant wishes to appeal within 60 calendar days of the date the party receives the last reconsideration for the sample claims, if they were not all addressed in a single reconsideration; and

(iii) Assert the reasons the appellant disagrees with how the statistical sample and/or extrapolation was conducted in the request for hearing.

(b) Complete request required.

(1) A request must contain the information in paragraph (a)(1) of this section to the extent the information is applicable, to be considered complete. If a request is not complete, the appellant will be provided with an opportunity to complete the request, and if an adjudication time frame applies, it does not begin until the request is complete. If the appellant fails to provide the information necessary to complete the request within the time frame provided, the appellant's request for hearing or review will be dismissed.

(2) If supporting materials submitted with a request clearly provide information required for a complete request, the materials will be considered in determining whether the request is complete.

(c) When and where to file. The request for an ALJ hearing or request for review of a QIC dismissal must be filed—

(1) Within 60 calendar days from the date the party receives notice of the QIC's reconsideration or dismissal, except as provided in paragraph (a)(3)(ii) of this section for appeals of extrapolations;

(2) With the office specified in the QIC's reconsideration or dismissal. If the request for hearing is timely filed with an office other than the office specified in the QIC's reconsideration, the request is not treated as untimely, and any applicable time frame specified in §405.1016 for deciding the appeal begins on the date the office specified in the QIC's reconsideration or dismissal receives the request for hearing. If the request for hearing is filed with an office, other than the office specified in the QIC's reconsideration or dismissal, OMHA must notify the appellant of the date the request was received in the correct office and the commencement of any applicable adjudication time frame.

(d) Copy requirement.

(1) The appellant must send a copy of the request for hearing or request for review of a QIC dismissal to the other parties who were sent a copy of the QIC's reconsideration or dismissal. If additional materials submitted with the request are necessary to provide the information required for a complete request in accordance with paragraph (b) of this section, copies of the materials must be sent to the parties as well (subject to authorities that apply to disclosing the personal information of other parties). If additional evidence is submitted with the request for hearing, the appellant may send a copy of the evidence, or briefly describe the evidence pertinent to the party and offer to provide copies of the evidence to the party at the party's request (subject to authorities that apply to disclosing the evidence).

(2) Evidence that a copy of the request for hearing or request for review of a QIC dismissal, or a copy of submitted evidence or a summary thereof, was sent in accordance with paragraph (d)(1) of this section includes—

(i) Certification on the standard form for requesting an ALJ hearing or requesting a review of a QIC dismissal that a copy of the request is being sent to the other parties;

(ii) An indication, such as a copy or “cc” line, on a request for hearing or request for review of a QIC dismissal that a copy of the request and any applicable attachments or enclosures are being sent to the other parties, including the name and address of the recipient;

(iii) An affidavit or certificate of service that identifies the name and address of the recipient, and what was sent to the recipient; or

(iv) A mailing or shipping receipt that identifies the name and address of the recipient, and what was sent to the recipient.

(3) If the appellant, other than an unrepresented beneficiary, fails to send a copy of the request for hearing or request for review of a QIC dismissal, any additional materials, or a copy of submitted evidence or a summary thereof, as described in paragraph (d)(1) of this section, the appellant will be provided with an additional opportunity to send the request, materials, and/or evidence or summary thereof, and if an adjudication time frame applies, it begins upon receipt of evidence that the request, materials, and/or evidence or summary thereof were sent. If the appellant, other than an unrepresented beneficiary, again fails to provide evidence that the request, materials, and/or evidence or summary thereof were sent within the additional time frame provided to send the request, materials, and/or evidence or summary thereof, the appellant's request for hearing or request for review of a QIC dismissal will be dismissed.

(e) Extension of time to request a hearing or review.

(1) If the request for hearing or review of a QIC dismissal is not filed within 60 calendar days of receipt of the QIC's reconsideration or dismissal, an appellant may request an extension for good cause (See §405.942(b)(2) and (3)).

(2) Any request for an extension of time must be in writing, give the reasons why the request for a hearing or review was not filed within the stated time period, and must be filed with the request for hearing or request for review of a QIC dismissal, or upon notice that the request may be dismissed because it was not timely filed, with the office specified in the notice of reconsideration or dismissal.

(3) An ALJ or attorney adjudicator may find there is good cause for missing the deadline to file a request for an ALJ hearing or request for review of a QIC dismissal, or there is no good cause for missing the deadline to file a request for a review of a QIC dismissal, but only an ALJ may find there is no good cause for missing the deadline to file a request for an ALJ hearing. If good cause is found for missing the deadline, the time period for filing the request for hearing or request for review of a QIC dismissal will be extended. To determine whether good cause for late filing exists, the ALJ or attorney adjudicator uses the standards set forth in §405.942(b)(2) and (3).

(4) If a request for hearing is not timely filed, any applicable adjudication period in §405.1016 begins the date the ALJ or attorney adjudicator grants the request to extend the filing deadline.

(5) A determination granting a request to extend the filing deadline is not subject to further review.

[82 FR 5112, Jan. 17, 2017, as amended at 84 FR 19870, May 7, 2019]