(a) General. Except as specified in paragraph (c) of this section, when an enrollee requests that the Council review an ALJ's or attorney adjudicator's decision, the Council will review the ALJ's or attorney adjudicator's decision de novo. The enrollee requesting review does not have a right to a hearing before the Council. The Council will consider all of the evidence admitted into the administrative record. Upon completion of its review, the Council may adopt, modify, or reverse the ALJ's or attorney adjudicator's decision or remand the case to the ALJ or attorney adjudicator for further proceedings. Unless the Council's review is expedited as provided in paragraph (d) of this section, the Council must issue its action no later than 90 calendar days after receiving the request for review, unless the 90 calendar day period has been extended as provided in this subpart.

(b) Review of ALJ's or attorney adjudicator's dismissal of a request for a hearing. When an enrollee requests that the Council review an ALJ's or attorney adjudicator's dismissal of a request for a hearing, the Council may deny review or vacate the dismissal and remand the case to the ALJ or attorney adjudicator for further proceedings.

(c) Council dismissal of request for review. The Council will dismiss a request for review when the individual or entity requesting review does not have a right to a review by the MAC, or will dismiss the request for a hearing for any reason that the ALJ or attorney adjudicator could have dismissed the request for hearing.

(d) Expedited reviews.

(1) Standard for expedited reviews. The Council must provide an expedited review if the appeal involves an issue specified in §423.566(b), but does not include solely a request for payment of Part D drugs already furnished, enrollee's prescribing physician or other prescriber indicates, or the Council determines that applying the standard timeframe for making a decision may seriously jeopardize the enrollee's life or health or ability to regain maximum function. The Council may consider this standard as met if a lower level adjudicator has granted a request for an expedited appeal.

(2) Grant of a request. If the Council grants a request for expedited review, the Council must:

(i) Make this decision within 5 calendar days of receipt of the request for expedited review;

(ii) Give the enrollee prompt oral notice of this decision; and

(iii) Issue a decision, dismissal order or remand, as expeditiously as the enrollee's health condition requires, but no later than the end of the 10 calendar day period beginning on the date the request for review is received by the entity specified in the ALJ's or attorney adjudicator's written notice of decision.

(3) Denial of a request. If the Council denies a request for expedited review, the Council must:

(i) Make this decision within 5 calendar days of receipt of the request for expedited review;

(ii) Give the enrollee and Part D plan sponsor within 5 calendar days of receiving the request written notice of the denial. The written notice must inform the enrollee of the denial and explain that the Council will process the enrollee's request using the 90 calendar day timeframe for non-expedited reviews.

(4) Decision on a request. A decision on a request for expedited review may not be appealed.

[74 FR 65363, Dec. 9, 2009, as amended at 82 FR 5137 Jan. 17, 2017]