(a) Requirements for deferral. Payment of a claim or any portion of a claim for FFP is deferred only if—

(1) The Administrator or current Designee questions its allowability and needs additional information to resolve the question; and

(2) CMS takes action to defer the claim (by excluding the claimed amount from the grant award) within 60 days after the receipt of a Quarterly Statement of Expenditures (prepared in accordance with CMS instructions) that includes that claim.

(b) Notice of deferral and State's responsibility.

(1) Within 15 days of the action described in paragraph (a)(2) of this section, the current Designee sends the State a written notice of deferral that—

(i) Identifies the type and amount of the deferred claim and specifies the reason for deferral; and

(ii) Requests the State to make available all the documents and materials the regional office then believes are necessary to determine the allowability of the claim.

(2) It is the responsibility of the State to establish the allowability of a deferred claim.

(c) Handling of documents and materials.

(1) Within 60 days (or within 120 days if the State requests an extension) after receipt of the notice of deferral, the State must make available to the regional office, in readily reviewable form, all requested documents and materials except any that it identifies as not being available.

(2) Regional office staff usually initiates review within 30 days after receipt of the documents and materials.

(3) If the current Designee finds that the materials are not in readily reviewable form or that additional information is needed, he or she promptly notifies the State that it has 15 days to submit the readily reviewable or additional materials.

(4) If the State does not provide the necessary materials within 15 days, the current Designee disallows the claim.

(5) The current Designee has 90 days, after all documentation is available in readily reviewable form, to determine the allowability of the claim.

(6) If the current Designee cannot complete review of the material within 90 days, CMS pays the claim, subject to a later determination of allowability.

(d) Effect of decision to pay a deferred claim. Payment of a deferred claim under paragraph (c)(6) of this section does not preclude a subsequent disallowance based on the results of an audit or financial review. (If there is a subsequent disallowance, the State may request reconsideration as provided in paragraph (e)(2) of this section.)

(e) Notice and effect of decision on allowability.

(1) The Administrator or current Designee gives the State written notice of his or her decision to pay or disallow a deferred claim.

(2) If the decision is to disallow, the notice informs the State of its right to reconsideration in accordance with 45 CFR part 16.

[53 FR 36571, Sept. 21, 1988, as amended at 77 FR 31507, May 29, 2012]