(a) A request for a contractor hearing that is received by the contractor after the applicable 180-day time limit prescribed in §405.1811(a)(3) or §405.1811(c)(2) must be dismissed by the contractor hearing officer(s), except that the hearing officer(s) may extend the time limit upon a good cause showing by the provider.

(b) The contractor hearing officer(s) may find good cause to extend the time limit only if the provider demonstrates in writing it could not reasonably have been expected to file timely due to extraordinary circumstances beyond its control (such as a natural or other catastrophe, fire, or strike), and the provider's written request for an extension is received by the contractor hearing officer(s) within a reasonable time (as determined by the contractor hearing officer(s) under the circumstances) after the expiration of the applicable 180-day limit prescribed in §405.1811(a)(3) or §405.1811(c)(2).

(c) The contractor hearing officer(s) may not grant a request for an extension under this section if—

(1) The provider relies on a change in the law, regulations, CMS Rulings, or general CMS instructions (whether based on a court decision or otherwise) or a CMS administrative ruling or policy as the basis for the extension request; or

(2) The date of receipt by the contractor of the provider's extension request is later than 3 years after the date of the contractor or other determination that the provider seeks to appeal.

(d) If an extension request is granted or denied under this section, the contractor hearing officer(s) must give prompt written notice to the provider, and mail a copy to each party to the appeal. The notice must include an explanation of the reasons for the decision by the hearing officer(s) and the facts underlying the decision.

(e)

(1) A decision denying an extension request under this section and dismissing the appeal is final and binding on the provider, unless the dismissal decision is reviewed by a CMS reviewing official in accordance with §405.1834(b)(2)(i) of this subpart or reopened and revised by the contractor hearing officer(s) in accordance with §405.1885 through §405.1889 of this subpart. The contractor hearing officer(s) promptly mails the decision to the appropriate component of CMS (currently the Center for Medicare Management) (as specified in §405.1834(b)(4) of this subpart).

(2) A decision granting an extension request under this section is not subject to immediate review by a CMS reviewing official (as described in §405.1834(b)(3) of this subpart). Any decision may be examined during the course of CMS review of a final jurisdictional dismissal decision or a final hearing decision by the contractor hearing officer(s) (as described in §§405.1834(b)(2)(i) and 405.1834(b)(2)(ii) of this subpart).

[73 FR 30245, May 23, 2008, as amended at 80 FR 70598, Nov. 13, 2015]