(a) If an ALJ or attorney adjudicator believes that the written record is missing information that is essential to resolving the issues on appeal and that information can be provided only by CMS, the IRE, and/or the Part D plan sponsor, the information may be requested from the IRE that conducted the reconsideration or its successor.

(1) Official copies of redeterminations and reconsiderations that were conducted on the appealed issues, and official copies of dismissals of a request for redetermination or reconsideration, can be provided only by CMS, the IRE, and/or the Part D plan sponsor. Prior to issuing a request for information to the IRE, OMHA will confirm whether an electronic copy of the missing redetermination, reconsideration, or dismissal is available in the official system of record, and if so will accept the electronic copy as an official copy.

(2) “Can be provided only by CMS, the IRE, and/or the Part D plan sponsor” means the information is not publicly available, is not in the possession of the enrollee, and cannot be requested and obtained by the enrollee. Information that is publicly available is information that is available to the general public via the Internet or in a printed publication. Information that is publicly available includes, but is not limited to, information available on a CMS, IRE or Part D Plan sponsor Web site or information in an official CMS or HHS publication.

(b) The ALJ or attorney adjudicator retains jurisdiction of the case, and the case remains pending at OMHA.

(c) The IRE has 15 calendar days for standard appeals, or 2 calendar days for expedited appeals, after receiving the request for information to furnish the information or otherwise respond to the information request directly or through CMS or the Part D plan sponsor.

(d) If an adjudication period applies to the appeal in accordance with §423.2016, the adjudication period is extended by the period between the date of the request for information and the date the IRE responds to the request or 20 calendar days after the date of the request for standard appeals, or 3 calendar days after the date of the request for expedited appeals, whichever occurs first.

[82 FR 5133, Jan. 17, 2017, as amended at 84 FR 19873, May 7, 2019]