(a) When CMS, the IRE, or the Part D plan sponsor may participate.

(1) CMS, the IRE, and/or the Part D plan sponsor may request to participate in the proceedings on a request for an ALJ hearing upon filing a request to participate in accordance with paragraph (b) of this section.

(2) An ALJ may request, but may not require, CMS, the IRE, and/or the Part D plan sponsor to participate in any proceedings before the ALJ, including the oral hearing, if any. The ALJ cannot draw any adverse inferences if CMS, the IRE, and/or the Part D plan sponsor decide not to participate in any proceedings before an ALJ, including the hearing.

(b) How a request to participate is made—(1) No notice of hearing. If CMS, the IRE, and/or the Part D plan sponsor requests participation before it receives a notice of hearing, or when no notice is required, it must send written notice of its request to participate to the assigned ALJ or attorney adjudicator, or a designee of the Chief ALJ if the request is not yet assigned to an ALJ or attorney adjudicator, and the enrollee, except that the request may be made orally if a request for an expedited hearing was filed and OMHA will notify the enrollee of the request to participate.

(2) Notice of hearing. If CMS, the IRE, and/or the Part D plan sponsor requests participation after the IRE and Part D plan sponsor receive a notice of hearing, it must send written notice of its request to participate to the ALJ and the enrollee, except that the request to participate may be made orally for an expedited hearing and OMHA will notify the enrollee of the request to participate.

(3) Timing of request. CMS, the IRE, and/or the Part D plan sponsor must send its request to participate—

(i) If a standard request for hearing was filed, if no hearing is scheduled, within 30 calendar days after notification that a standard request for hearing was filed;

(ii) If an expedited hearing is requested, but no hearing has been scheduled, within 2 calendar days after notification that a request for an expedited hearing was filed;

(iii) If a non-expedited hearing is scheduled, within 5 calendar days after receiving the notice of hearing; or

(iv) If an expedited hearing is scheduled, within 1 calendar day after receiving the notice of hearing. Requests may be made orally or submitted by facsimile to the hearing office.

(c) The ALJ's or attorney adjudicator's decision on a request to participate. The assigned ALJ or attorney adjudicator has discretion not to allow CMS, the IRE, and/or the Part D plan sponsor to participate. The ALJ or attorney adjudicator must notify the entity requesting participation, the Part D plan sponsor, if applicable, and the enrollee of his or her decision on the request to participate within the following time frames—

(1) If no hearing is scheduled, at least 20 calendar days before the ALJ or attorney adjudicator issues a decision, dismissal, or remand;

(2) If a non-expedited hearing is scheduled, within 5 calendar days of receipt of a request to participate; or

(3) If an expedited hearing is scheduled, within 1 calendar of receipt of a request to participate.

(d) Roles and responsibilities of CMS, the IRE, and/or the Part D plan sponsor as a participant.

(1) Participation may include filing position papers and/or providing testimony to clarify factual or policy issues in a case, but it does not include calling witnesses or cross-examining the witnesses of an enrollee.

(2) When CMS, the IRE, and/or the Part D plan sponsor participates in an ALJ hearing, CMS, the IRE, and/or the Part D plan sponsor may not be called as a witness during the hearing and is not subject to examination or cross-examination by the enrollee, but the enrollee may provide testimony to rebut factual or policy statements made by a participant and the ALJ may question the participant about its testimony.

(3) CMS, IRE, and/or Part D plan sponsor positon papers and written testimony are subject to the following:

(i) Unless the ALJ or attorney adjudicator grants additional time to submit a position paper or written testimony, a position paper and written testimony must be submitted—

(A) Within 14 calendar days for a standard appeal, or 1 calendar day for an expedited appeal, after receipt of the ALJ's or attorney adjudicator's decision on a request to participate if no hearing has been scheduled; or

(B) No later than 5 calendar days prior to the hearing if a non-expedited hearing is scheduled, or 1 calendar day prior to the hearing if an expedited hearing is scheduled.

(ii) A copy of any position paper and written testimony that CMS, the IRE, or the Part D plan sponsor submits to OMHA must be sent within the same time frames specified in paragraph (d)(3)(i)(A) and (B) of this section to the enrollee.

(iii) If CMS, the IRE, and/or the Part D plan sponsor fails to send a copy of its position paper or written testimony to the enrollee or fails to submit its position paper or written testimony within the time frames described in this section, the position paper or written testimony will not be considered in deciding the appeal.

(e) Invalid requests to participate.

(1) An ALJ or attorney adjudicator may determine that a CMS, IRE, and/or Part D plan sponsor request to participate is invalid under this section if the request to participate was not timely filed or the request to participate was not sent to the enrollee.

(2) If the request to participate is determined to be invalid, the written notice of an invalid request to participate must be sent to the entity that made the request to participate and the enrollee.

(i) If no hearing is scheduled or the request to participate was made after the hearing occurred, the written notice of an invalid request to participate must be sent no later than the date the notice of decision, dismissal, or remand is mailed.

(ii) If a non-expedited hearing is scheduled, the written notice of an invalid request to participate must be sent prior to the hearing. If the notice would be sent fewer than 5 calendar days before the hearing is scheduled to occur, oral notice must be provided to the entity that submitted the request, and the written notice must be sent as soon as possible after the oral notice is provided.

(iii) If an expedited hearing is scheduled, oral notice of an invalid request to participate must be provided to the entity that submitted the request, and the written notice must be sent as soon as possible after the oral notice is provided.

[82 FR 5127, Jan. 17, 2017, as amended at 84 FR 19873, May 7, 2019]