10 Colo. Code Regs. § 2505-10-8.057

Current through Register Vol. 47, No. 20, October 25, 2024

Section 10 CCR 2505-10-8.057 - RECIPIENT APPEALS

8.057.1DEFINITIONS

1. Action means a termination, suspension or reduction of Medicaid, eligibility or covered services. It also means determinations by skilled nursing facilities and nursing facilities to transfer or discharge residents and adverse determinations with regard to a Level II Screen finding for the preadmission screening and annual resident review requirements.

2. Adverse determination means a determination with regard to a Level II Screen finding for the preadmission screening and annual review requirements that the individual does not require the level of services provided by a nursing facility or that the individual does or does not require specialized services.

3. Authorized representative means a person designated by the applicant or member to act on their behalf. Such authorization shall be in writing in compliance with the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA) privacy regulations located at 45 C.F.R. parts 160 and 164. A written designated power of attorney may substitute for the HIPAA compliant release.

4. Date of action means the intended date on which a termination, suspension, reduction, transfer or discharge becomes effective. It also means the date of the preadmission screening and annual resident review determination.

5. Notice, other than that required to be provided by a nursing facility seeking to transfer or discharge a resident, means a written statement which contains:

a. A statement of what action the Department or its designee intends to take;

b. The reasons for the intended action;

c. The specific regulations that support, or the change in federal or state law that requires the action;

d. An explanation of

i. The individual's right to request an evidentiary hearing if one is available; or

ii. In cases of an action based on a change in law, the circumstances under which a hearing will be granted.

e. The method by which the individual may obtain a hearing;

f. That the individual may represent themselves or use legal counsel, a relative, a friend, or other representative at the hearing; and

g. An explanation of the circumstances under which Medicaid is continued if a hearing is requested.

h. For notices concerning a medical assistance program eligibility determination under section 8.100, an explanation of the applicant's or member's right to a county or service delivery agency dispute resolution conference.

6. Notice required to be provided by a nursing facility seeking to transfer or discharge a resident means a written statement which contains, in addition to the requirements above:

a. The reason for transfer or discharge;

b. The effective date of the transfer or discharge;

c. The location to which the resident is transferred or discharged;

d. The name, address and telephone number of the State long-term care ombudsman;

e. For nursing facility residents with developmental disabilities, the mailing address and telephone number of the agency responsible for the protection and advocacy of developmentally disabled individuals established under Part C of the Developmental Disabilities Assistance and Bill of Rights Act; and

f. For nursing facility residents living with a mental illness, the mailing address and telephone number of the agency responsible for the protection and advocacy of individuals living with a mental illness established under the Protection and Advocacy for Mentally Ill Individuals Act.

7. Request for a hearing means a clear expression by the applicant or member, or their authorized representative that they want an opportunity to present their case to a reviewing authority.

8. Service delivery agency or designated service agency means a department-designated, certified medical assistance site contracted with the department to accept and process medical assistance applications approved by the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, as authorized by C.R.S. § 25.5-4-205. Service delivery agencies utilize the Colorado Benefits Management System (CBMS) to determine eligibility for Child Health Plan Plus (CHP+) and Health First Colorado (Colorado Medicaid) medical assistance programs.

8.057.2ADVANCE NOTICE

8.057.2.A. Notice shall be mailed at least 10 calendar days before the date of the intended action except as permitted in 8.057.2.B and 8.057.2.C. Requirements for the timing of notice before the facility can transfer or discharge a resident shall be governed by 8.057.2.D and 8.057.2.E.

8.057.2.B. Notice for any action other than when a nursing facility seeks to transfer or discharge a resident, may be mailed less than 10 calendar days before the date of the intended action if:

1. The Department or its designee has factual information confirming the death of a recipient;

2. The Department or its designee receives a clear written statement signed by a recipient that

a. The recipient no longer wishes services; or

b. The recipient gives information that requires termination or reduction of services and indicates that he/she understands that this must be the result of supplying that information;

c. The recipient has been admitted to an institution where he/she is ineligible for further services;

d. The recipient's whereabouts are unknown and the post office return agency mail directed to him/her indicating no forwarding address;

e. The recipient has been accepted for Medicaid services by another State, territory or commonwealth;

f. A change in the level of medical care is prescribed by the recipient's physician; or

g. The notice involves an adverse determination made with regard to the preadmission screening and annual resident review requirements.

8.057.2.C. Notice for any action other than when a nursing facility seeks to transfer or discharge a resident, shall be sent 5 calendar days before the date of the action if:

1. The Department or its designee has facts indicating that action should be taken because of probably fraud by the recipient; and

2. The facts have been verified, if possible, through secondary sources.

8.057.2.D. Except as specified in 8.057.2.E, the required notice when a nursing facility seeks to transfer or discharge a resident shall be at least 30 calendar days before the resident is transferred or discharged.

8.057.2.E. The required notice by a nursing facility before transfer or discharge shall be as soon as practicable when:

1. The safety of individuals in the facility would be endangered;

2. The health of individuals in the facility would be endangered; or

3. The resident's health improves sufficiently to allow a more immediate transfer or discharge because the resident no longer needs the services provided by the facility;

8.057.3OPPORTUNITY FOR HEARING

8.057.3.AAn individual shall have an opportunity for a hearing where:

1. An application for services is denied or is not acted upon with reasonable promptness;

2. The recipient requesting the hearing believes the action is erroneous, including a loss of coverage without notice;

3. The resident of a nursing facility believes the facility has erroneously determined that he/she must be discharged; and

4. An individual who believes the determination with regard to the preadmission and annual resident review requirements is erroneous.

8.057.3.B. An individual does not have the right to an opportunity for hearing if the sole issue is a federal or state law requiring an automatic change adversely affecting some or all recipients.

8.057.3.C. An individual does not have the right to an opportunity for hearing for a preadmission screening and annual resident review Level I Screen finding.

8.057.3.D. A provider of medical assistance or any other provider of goods and services to an applicant or recipient, shall not have the right to a hearing concerning an action or an adverse determination to an applicant or recipient.

8.057.3.E. A member of a Managed Care Organization shall exhaust the internal appeals process described at 8.209 prior to requesting a fair hearing.

8.057.3.F. Opportunity For County or Service Delivery Agency Dispute Resolution Conference. In addition to the opportunity for a hearing, an applicant or member shall have an opportunity to have their medical assistance program under section 8.100 resolved through an informal dispute resolution conference. An informal dispute resolution does not extend the period of time within which a member can timely file a formal appeal pursuant to 8.057.4.B.; nor does a request for an informal dispute resolution conference result in a continuation of benefits. Filing a formal appeal pursuant to 8.057.4. is the only way to receive a continuation of benefits, if applicable.

County and service delivery agencies shall afford applicants and members the opportunity for informal dispute resolutions as follows:

1. An applicant or member who disagrees with a decision regarding their eligibility may request dispute resolution either in writing or by phone no later than 60 calendar days after the date of the Notice of Action (NOA). If available through the County or service delivery agencies, applicants and members may use email to make a request.

2. No later than 10 calendar days after receipt of the request for dispute resolution the County or service delivery agency, after a review of the case for accuracy and completeness, shall notify the applicant or member, in writing, of the date, time, and location of the conference. The notification shall also include the applicant or member's rights to a state level appeal and a deadline date for requesting such an appeal.

3. The County or service delivery agency shall hold the conference within no more than 25 calendar days from the date the request was received unless both parties agree, in writing, to extend the date of the conference.

4. The applicant or member shall have the choice to have the dispute conference held in person or by phone.

5. The dispute resolution conference facilitator shall, within 3 business days, notify the applicant or member of the finding from the conference via U.S. Mail.

6. If the finding is that the dispute has been resolved and the applicant or member has already filed an appeal, the County or service delivery agency shall inform the applicant or member of the process for dismissing their appeal.

8.057.4REQUEST FOR HEARING

8.057.4.A. The request for a hearing shall be in writing and contain:

1. The recipient or applicant's name, address and State Identification Number, if applicable;

2. The action, denial or failure to act promptly on which the requested appeal is based; and

3. The reason for appealing the action, denial or failure to act promptly.

8.057.4.B. The request for a hearing shall be filed with the Office of Administrative Courts:

1. No later than 60 calendar days after the date of the Notice of Action.

8.057.4.C. The recipient or applicant or his/her authorized representative shall be entitled to examine the complete case file and any other documents to be used at hearing at a reasonable time before the hearing or during the hearing. Documents and information that are confidential as a matter of law shall be exempt from this requirement unless they are to be offered as evidence during the hearing.

8.057.4.D. If the recipient or applicant makes an oral request for a hearing to the Department or its designee, the Department or its designee shall prepare a written request for the individual's signature or have the individual prepare such a request.

8.057.4.E. Expedited Hearings

1. An applicant/recipient may request an expedited hearing if the appeal involves an issue where the application of the standard timeframe for making a decision may seriously jeopardize the applicant/recipient's life, health or ability to regain, attain, and maintain maximum function.

2. The process for requesting an expedited hearing shall be by the same method as prescribed in 8.057.4.A, B, C, and D.

3. Upon receipt of the request for expedited hearing, the Office of Administrative Courts shall contact the Department's Office of Appeals.

4. Upon notification by the Office of Administrative Courts, the Department's Office of Appeals shall determine whether the application of the standard timeframe for making a decision may seriously jeopardize the applicant/recipient's life, health or ability to regain, attain, and maintain maximum function.

5. Grant of a request. If the Office of Appeals grants a request for expedited hearing, the Office of Appeals must:

a. Make the decision to grant an expedited hearing no later than one business day after notification from the Office of Administrative Courts of the request for expedited hearing;

b. Give the individual prompt oral notice of this decision; and

c. Subsequently send to the individual at his or her last known address written notice of the decision. This notice may be provided within the written notice of hearing.

6. Denial of a request. If the Office of Appeals denies a request for expedited hearing, the Office of Appeals must:

a. Make this decision no later than one business day after notification from the Office of Administrative Courts of the request for expedited hearing;

b. Give the individual prompt oral notice of the denial that informs the individual of the denial and explains that the Office of Appeals will notify the Office of Administrative Courts to process the request for a non-expedite hearings; and

c. Subsequently send to the individual at his or her last known address and to the Department an equivalent written notice of the decision within 3 business days after the oral notice.

7. The decision, denying a request for expedited hearing, may not be appealed.

8. Timeframe for decision.

a. If the Office of Appeals accepts a request for expedited hearing, the Office of Appeals shall schedule a hearing, as expeditiously as the applicant/recipient's health condition requires, but no later than the end of the day after the decision to grant the hearing was made.

b. A decision on the hearing shall be made as expeditiously as the applicant/recipient's health condition requires, but no later than three business days after the Office of Appeals receives the request for an expedited appeal.

c. If the decision involves an eligibility issue, the decision on the hearing shall be made as expeditiously as the individual's health condition requires, but no later than seven business days after the Office of Appeals receives the request for an expedited appeal.

d. These time limits shall not apply if the Department cannot reach a decision because the applicant/recipient requests a delay or fails to take a required action, or if there is an administrative or other emergency beyond the Department's control. The Department must document the reasons for any delay in the record.

9. Hearing.

a. The scheduled hearing may be held in person or by phone and shall be recorded.

b. The Department's Executive Director, Medicaid Director, Medical Director or their designees may preside over the hearing.

10. Hearing Decision.

a. The Department's Executive Director, Medicaid Director, Medical Director or their designees shall make a decision within the required timeframe.

b. The Department's Executive Director, Medicaid Director, Medical Director or their designees shall give the individual prompt oral notice of this decision; and

c. Subsequently send to the applicant/recipient at his or her last known address written notice of the decision.

d. The hearing decision shall constitute a Final Agency Decision for purposes of requesting judicial review, and Section 8.057.11 shall apply.

8.057.5MAINTAINING SERVICES

8.057.5.A. Where the member requests a hearing no later than 60 calendar days after the date of the Notice, in accordance with Section 8.057.4.B.1., the member's services may not be terminated or reduced until a final agency decision is rendered after the hearing.

1. If a member requests a hearing after the date of action and no later than 60 calendar days after the date of Notice, in accordance with Section 8.057.4.B.1., benefits will be continued from the date of action.

2. A request for an informal dispute resolution conference concerning eligibility determinations, in accordance with Section 8.057.3.F., does not maintain services or continue benefits.

8.057.5.B. Repealed.

8.057.5.C. Continued Benefits During an SSA Appeal. If an individual receiving Medicaid based upon disability is determined by SSA not to be disabled, and he or she is not eligible for Medicaid on some other basis, Medicaid is continued during the 60-day period within which an SSA appeal may be filed. If the individual does not appeal the SSA decision within the 60-day period, Medicaid shall be terminated.

If an SSA hearing is requested within the 60-day period, Medicaid may not be terminated until a final decision is made after the SSA hearing. A final administrative decision occurs when the Medicaid recipient has no right to further administrative appeal with the SSA. The Department shall provide 10-days notice to the individual that Medicaid shall be terminated after the 60-day period if the individual fails to appeal the SSA decision.

8.057.5.D. Continuation or Reinstatement of Benefits After The Effective Date Of The Action. Where the recipient requests a hearing not more than 10 days after the date of the intended action, the recipient's services may be continued or reinstated until a final agency decision is rendered after the hearing if the recipient provides verification, in the form of a signed statement with supporting documentation, of one of the following circumstances.

1. The recipient's life, health, or safety will be impacted by the loss of benefits.

2. The recipient was unable to request a hearing before the date of action due to the recipient's disability or employment.

3. The recipient's caregiver or their authorized representative was unable to request a hearing before the date of action due to their health or employment.

4. The recipient did not receive the County's or designated service agencies notice prior to the effective date of the intended action.

8.057.6DENIAL OR DISMISSAL OF REQUEST FOR HEARING

8.057.6.A. The request for hearing shall be denied or dismissed if:

1. The applicant or recipient withdraws the request in writing; or

2. The applicant or recipient fails to appear at a scheduled hearing without good cause. Good cause shall mean a sudden severe illness, an accident, or other particular occurrence which, by its emergent nature and drastic effect, prevented appearance at the hearing.

8.057.6.B. The applicant or recipient shall have 10 calendar days from the date of the notice of dismissal scheduled hearing to explain, in a letter to the Administrative Law Judge, the reason for his/her failure to appear. If the Administrative Law Judge finds that there was good cause for the nonappearance, the Administrative Law Judge shall schedule another hearing date.

8.057.7FAIR HEARINGS

8.057.7.A. A hearing shall cover:

1. Action, denial or failure to act with reasonable promptness regarding eligibility or services;

2. Decisions regarding changes in the type or amount of services;

3. Decision by a nursing facility to transfer or discharge a resident; and

4. Determination with regard to the preadmission screening and annual resident review requirements.

8.057.7.B. Conference telephone hearings may be conducted as an alternative to face-to-face hearings. All applicable provisions of the face-to-face hearing shall apply to telephone hearings.

8.057.7.C. Upon receipt of notice of a Department hearing of an appeal, the county department shall arrange for a suitable hearing room appropriate to accommodate the number of persons, including witnesses, who are expected to be in attendance.

8.057.7.D. Except as otherwise specifically provided in these rules, the provisions of Section 24-4-105, C.R.S., as amended, shall apply to the conduct of fair hearings.

8.057.7.E. Hearings related to an applicant or recipient's disability determination, level of care determination or target group eligibility shall be held within 20 calendar days after the Office of Administrative Courts receives the request for a fair hearing unless the client demonstrates good cause for postponement of the hearing. Under no circumstances shall the hearing be conducted more than 45 calendar days after receipt of the request for a fair hearing.

8.057.7.F. In hearings which involve medical issues such as those concerning a diagnosis, an examining physician's report or a medical review team's decision, the Administrative Law Judge may order a medical assessment other than that in the record of the Department or its designee making the disability determination if the Administrative Law Judge considers such medical assessment necessary. The assessment shall be at the expense of the Department or its designee and shall be made part of the record.

8.057.7.G. The hearing shall be private unless the applicant or recipient requests, on the record, that the hearing be open to the public.

8.057.7.H. If the appellant is not fluent in English or has a language difficulty, the Department will arrange with county assistance to have present at the hearing a qualified interpreter who will be sworn to translate correctly.

8.057.8INITIAL DECISIONS

8.057.8.A. The Administrative Law Judge shall promptly prepare and issue a written Initial Decision and file it with the Office of Appeals of the Department. Initial decisions shall be based exclusively on evidence introduced at the hearing.

8.057.8.B. The Administrative Law Judge shall issue the Initial Decision following a disability determination hearing, a level of care denial hearing or a target group eligibility hearing within 20 calendar days of the hearing date.

8.057.8.C. The Initial Decision shall be in writing and shall:

1. Summarize the facts;

2. Identify the regulations and evidence supporting the decision;

3. Advise the applicant or recipient that failure to file exceptions to the provisions of the Initial Decision shall waive the right to seek judicial review of a final agency decision affirming those provisions.

8.057.8.D. The Administrative Law Judge shall be bound by the Department's interpretation of statutes where the Department has regulations implementing such statutes.

8.057.8.E. The Administrative Law Judge shall have no jurisdiction or authority to determine issues of constitutionality or legality of the Department's regulations.

8.057.8.F. In hearings concerning disability determinations, the only factual issue to be determined by the Administrative Law Judge is whether the applicant or recipient meets the Medicaid definition of disability or blindness set forth in section 8.100.1 . The Administrative Law Judge's determination shall be limited to whether or not the applicant or recipient met the definition of disability or blindness on the date that the disability determination was completed.

8.057.8.G. In hearings concerning level of care determinations, the only factual issue to be determined by the Administrative Law Judge is whether the applicant or recipient meets the level of care screen applicable to the program at issue. The Administrative Law Judge's determination shall be limited to whether or not the applicant or recipient met the level of care on the date that the level of care determination was completed.

8.057.9REVIEW BY THE OFFICE OF APPEALS

8.057.9.A. The Department's Office of Appeals shall promptly serve the Initial Decision upon each party to the fair hearing by first class mail. Party shall include the Department even if the Department has not previously appeared as a party to the appeal.

8.057.9.B. Any party seeking to reverse, modify or remand the Initial Decision shall file exceptions with the Office of Appeals within 15 calendar days, plus 3 calendar days for mailing, of the date the Initial Decision is mailed to the parties.

8.057.9.C. Exceptions to Initial Decisions shall be in writing and shall state the specific grounds for reversal, modification or remand of the Initial Decision.

8.057.9.D. A written transcript of the hearing is required where the party filing the exceptions asserts that the findings of evidentiary fact in the Initial Decision are not supported by the weight of the evidence.

1. The party requiring a written transcript of the hearing shall request the written transcript from the Office of Administrative Courts prior to the filing of exceptions. If the written transcript is not filed with the exceptions, the exceptions shall state that a written transcript has been requested. The party shall comply with all applicable due dates. Prior to the due date for filing exceptions, the party may request, in writing, an extension of time to file either exceptions or the written transcript.

2. In cases where the applicant or recipient (Appellant) requests a written transcript in order to file exceptions based on findings of evidentiary fact, the Department shall pay the transcribing agency for the cost of one original transcript for the Office of Appeals, and one copy for the requesting applicant or recipient.

3. While review of the initial decision is pending, the submitted written transcript of the hearing shall be available for examination by any party to the appeal, during regular business hours of the Office of Appeal.

8.057.9.E. The Office of Appeals shall promptly serve a copy of the exceptions on each party by first class mail. Each party may file a written response to an exception filed by another party within 10 calendar days from the date the exceptions were mailed to the parties.

8.057.9.F. The parties shall not have the right to oral argument to the Office of Appeals.

8.057.10FINAL AGENCY DECISIONS

8.057.10.A. The Final Agency Decision shall be based on the record except that the Office of Appeals may remand for rehearing if a party establishes in its exceptions that material evidence has been discovered which the party could not, with reasonable diligence, have produced at the hearing.

8.057.10.B. The record shall consist only of:

1. The written transcript of testimony and exhibits,

2. All papers and requests filed in the proceeding;

3. The initial decision of the administrative law judge; and

4. Any exceptions and requests filed in response to the initial decision of the administrative law judge.

8.057.10.C. The applicant or recipient shall have access to the record at a convenient place and time.

8.057.10.D. The Office of Appeals shall issue a Final Agency Decision within 90 calendar days, except as stipulated in 8.057.10.E, from the date the request for a hearing is received unless an extension has been granted to the applicant or recipient in which case the 90 calendar day period shall be increased accordingly..

8.057.10.E. The Office of Appeals shall issue a Final Agency Decision within 3 calendar days from the date the request for an expedited hearing is received.

8.057.11NOTIFICATION OF DECISION

8.057.11.A. The applicant or recipient shall be provided, in writing, with:

1. A copy of the Final Agency Decision; and

2. Notification of his/her right to seek judicial review and the effective date of the Final Agency Decision for purposes of requesting judicial review.

8.057.11.B. For purposes of requesting judicial review, the effective date of the Final Agency Decision shall be the third day after the date the decision is mailed to the parties, even if the third day falls on Saturday, Sunday or a legal holiday.

8.057.12CORRECTIVE ACTION

8.057.12.A. If the Final Agency Decision is favorable to the applicant or recipient, corrective action shall be taken, within three working days after the effective date of the Final Agency Decision, retroactive to the date the incorrect action was taken.

8.057.13RECONSIDERATION OF FINAL AGENCY DECISION

8.057.13.A. A party may file a motion for reconsideration of a Final Agency Decision with the Office of Appeals:

1. Upon a showing of good cause for failure to file exceptions to the Initial Decision within the allowed 15 calendar day period; or

2. Upon a showing that the Final Agency Decision is based upon a clear or plain error of fact or law.

8.057.13.B. The motion for reconsideration shall be filed, in writing, with the Office of Appeals within 15 calendar days of the date that the Final Agency Decision is mailed to the parties. The motion shall state the specific grounds for reconsideration.

8.057.13.C. The Office of Appeals shall promptly serve a copy of the motion for reconsideration on each party by first class mail. Each party may file a written response to a motion for reconsideration filed by another party within 10 calendar days from the date the motion was mailed to the parties.

8.057.13.D. The Office of Appeals shall promptly serve a copy of its decision on the motion for reconsideration on all parties by first class mail.

8.057.14INFORMAL CLIENT CONFERENCE IN DISABILITY DETERMINATIONS

8.057.14.A. Prior to the issuance of an action regarding an applicant or recipient's disability determination, the Department or the entity designated to conduct the disability determination shall provide the applicant or recipient with the opportunity for an informal conference, in person or by telephone, at which time the applicant or recipient may provide new or additional information relevant to the applicant or recipient's claim of disability or blindness.

8.057.14.B. If an action issues from the Department or the designated entity, the appeal procedures set forth in 8.057, Recipient Appeals, shall apply to disability determinations.

8.057.15ALTERNATIVES TO INSTITUTIONAL CARE

8.057.15.A Recipients who are determined to be likely to require a level of care available in an institution shall have the right to request a hearing where:

1. The recipient is not given the choice of home and community-based services as an alternative to the institutional care or

2. The recipient is denied the service of their choice or available provider of their choice.

10 CCR 2505-10-8.057

47 CR 16, August 25, 2024, effective 9/15/2024