La. Admin. Code tit. 50 § I-1505

Current through Register Vol. 50, No. 9, September 20, 2024

Section I-1505 - Informal Hearing

A. A provider, or their agent, who seeks to appeal a notice of action issued by the department may first request an informal hearing with the department.

1. - 3.c.ii.(d). Repealed.

B. A provider, or their agent, who has received a notice of action shall be provided with an informal hearing if the provider, or their agent, makes a written request to the department for an informal hearing within 15 days of the date of the notice of action.

C. The notice of action is presumed to be received by the provider if the notice is mailed to the provider's mailing address listed with the Medicaid Program or if the notice is electronically mailed to the provider's e-mail address listed with the Medicaid Program.

D. The request for an informal hearing must be made in writing and sent in accordance with the instructions in the notice of action.

E. The time and place for the informal hearing will be set out in the notice of setting of the informal hearing.

F. The informal hearing is designed to provide the opportunity:

1. for the provider or agent of the provider to informally review the situation and action proposed by the department;

2. for the department to offer alternatives based on information presented by the provider or agent of the provider, if any; and

3. for the provider or agent of the provider or other person to evaluate the necessity for seeking an administrative appeal. During the informal hearing, the provider or agent of the provider may be afforded the opportunity to talk with the department's personnel involved in the situation, to review pertinent documents on which the alleged violations are based, to ask questions, to seek clarification, to provide additional information and be represented by counsel or other person. Upon agreement of all parties, an informal discussion may be recorded or transcribed.

G. At any time prior to the issuance of the written results of the informal hearing, the notice of action may be modified by the department.

1. If a finding or reason is removed from the notice of action by the department, no additional time will be granted to the provider, or their agent, to prepare for the informal hearing.

2. If additional reasons or actions are added to the notice of action prior to, during, or after the informal hearing, the provider, or their agent, shall be granted an additional 10 working days to prepare responses to the new reasons or actions proposed by the department, unless the 10-day period is waived by the provider, or their agent.

H. Notice of the Results of the Informal Hearing. Following the informal hearing, the department shall inform the provider, or their agent, in writing of the results of the informal hearing, which could range from modifying or upholding the termination, denial, or other actions contained in the notice. The notice of the results of the informal hearing must be signed by the director of the Bureau of Health Services Financing (BHSF) or their designee and the section chief of Medicaid Program Operations and Compliance or their designee.

La. Admin. Code tit. 50, § I-1505

Promulgated by the Department of Health, Bureau of Health Services Financing, LR 45273 (2/1/2019), Amended LR 50980 (7/1/2024).

AUTHORITY NOTE: Promulgated in accordance with R.S. 36:254 and Title XIX of the Social Security Act.