As used in this subpart, unless the context indicates otherwise—

Appeal means any of the procedures that deal with the review of adverse organization determinations on the health care services the enrollee believes he or she is entitled to receive, including delay in providing, arranging for, or approving the health care services (such that a delay would adversely affect the health of the enrollee), or on any amounts the enrollee must pay for a service, as defined under §422.566(b). These procedures include reconsiderations by the MA organization, and if necessary, an independent review entity, hearings before ALJs, review by the Medicare Appeals Council (Council), and judicial review.

Applicable integrated plan means:

(1) A fully integrated dual eligible special needs plan with exclusively aligned enrollment or a highly integrated dual eligible special needs plan with exclusively aligned enrollment, and

(2) The Medicaid managed care organization, as defined in section 1903(m) of the Act, through which such dual eligible special needs plan, its parent organization, or another entity that is owned and controlled by its parent organization covers Medicaid services for dually eligible individuals enrolled in such dual eligible special needs plan and such Medicaid managed care organization.

Enrollee means an MA eligible individual who has elected an MA plan offered by an MA organization.

Grievance means any complaint or dispute, other than one that constitutes an organization determination, expressing dissatisfaction with any aspect of an MA organization's or provider's operations, activities, or behavior, regardless of whether remedial action is requested.

Integrated appeal means any of the procedures that deal with, or result from, adverse integrated organization determinations by an applicable integrated plan on the health care services the enrollee believes he or she is entitled to receive, including delay in providing, arranging for, or approving the health care services (such that a delay would adversely affect the health of the enrollee), or on any amounts the enrollee must pay for a service. Integrated appeals cover procedures that would otherwise be defined and covered, for non-applicable integrated plans, as an appeal defined in §422.561 or the procedures required for appeals in accordance with §§438.400 through 438.424 of this chapter. Such procedures include integrated reconsiderations.

Integrated grievance means a dispute or complaint that would be defined and covered, for grievances filed by an enrollee in non-applicable integrated plans, under §422.564 or §§438.400 through 438.416 of this chapter. Integrated grievances do not include appeals procedures and QIO complaints, as described in §422.564(b) and (c). An integrated grievance made by an enrollee in an applicable integrated plan is subject to the integrated grievance procedures in §§422.629 and 422.630.

Integrated organization determination means an organization determination that would otherwise be defined and covered, for a non-applicable integrated plan, as an organization determination under §422.566, an adverse benefit determination under §438.400(b), or an action under §431.201 of this chapter. An integrated organization determination is made by an applicable integrated plan and is subject to the integrated organization determination procedures in §§422.629, 422.631, and 422.634.

Integrated reconsideration means a reconsideration that would otherwise be defined and covered, for a non-applicable integrated plan, as a reconsideration under §422.580 and appeal under §438.400(b) of this chapter. An integrated reconsideration is made by an applicable integrated plan and is subject to the integrated reconsideration procedures in §§422.629 and 422.632 through 422.634.

Physician has the meaning given the term in section 1861(r) of the Act.

Representative means an individual appointed by an enrollee or other party, or authorized under State or other applicable law, to act on behalf of an enrollee or other party involved in the grievance or appeal. Unless otherwise stated in this subpart, the representative will have all the rights and responsibilities of an enrollee or party in filing a grievance, and in obtaining an organization determination or in dealing with any of the levels of the appeals process, subject to the applicable rules described in part 405 of this chapter.

[63 FR 35067, June 26, 1998, as amended at 65 FR 40328, June 29, 2000; 68 FR 16667, Apr. 4, 2003; 70 FR 4738, Jan. 28, 2005; 75 FR 19812, Apr. 15, 2010; 82 FR 5124, Jan. 17, 2017; 84 FR 15833, Apr. 16, 2019; 84 FR 26579, June 7, 2019]