---
kind: "range"
citation: "42 C.F.R. §§ 423.1980–423.1986"
title: "42"
from: "423.1980"
to: "423.1986"
count: 4
url: "https://uscodex.org/cfr/42/423.1980..423.1986"
---

# §423.1980. Reopening of coverage determinations, redeterminations, reconsiderations, decisions, and reviews.

- (a) **General rules.**
  - (1) A reopening is a remedial action taken to change a binding determination or decision, even though the binding determination or decision may have been correct at the time it was made based on the evidence of record. Consistent with [§ 423.1978(a)](/cfr/42/423.1978.md?p=a), that action may be taken by—
    - (i) A Part D plan sponsor to revise the coverage determination or redetermination;
    - (ii) An IRE to revise the reconsideration;
    - (iii) An ALJ or attorney adjudicator to revise his or her decision; or
    - (iv) **The Council to revise the ALJ or attorney adjudicator decision, or its review decision.**
  - (2) When an enrollee has filed a valid request for an appeal of a coverage determination, redetermination, reconsideration, ALJ or attorney adjudicator decision, or Council review, no adjudicator has jurisdiction to reopen an issue that is under appeal until all appeal rights for that issue are exhausted. Once the appeal rights for the issue have been exhausted, the Part D plan sponsor, IRE, ALJ or attorney adjudicator, or Council may reopen as set forth in this section.
  - (3) Consistent with [§ 423.1978(b)](/cfr/42/423.1978.md?p=b), the filing of a request for reopening does not relieve the Part D plan sponsor of its obligation to make payment or provide benefits as specified in [§ 423.636](/cfr/42/423.636.md) or [§ 423.638](/cfr/42/423.638.md).
  - (4) Consistent with [§ 423.1978(d)](/cfr/42/423.1978.md?p=d), the Part D plan sponsor's, IRE's, ALJ's or attorney adjudicator's, or Council's decision on whether to reopen is binding and not subject to appeal.
  - (5) A determination under the Medicare secondary payer provisions of section 1862(b) of the Act that Medicare has an MSP recovery claim for drug claims that were already reimbursed by the Part D plan sponsor is not a reopening.
- (b) **Timeframes and requirements for reopening coverage determinations and redeterminations initiated by a Part D plan sponsor.** A Part D plan sponsor may reopen its coverage determination or redetermination on its own motion:
  - (1) **Within 1 year from the date of the coverage determination or redetermination for any reason.**
  - (2) Within 4 years from the date of the coverage determination or redetermination for good cause as defined in [§ 423.1986](/cfr/42/423.1986.md).
  - (3) At any time if there exists reliable evidence as defined in [§ 405.902](/cfr/42/405.902.md) of this chapter that the coverage determination was procured by fraud or similar fault as defined in [§ 405.902](/cfr/42/405.902.md).
- (c) **Timeframe and requirements for reopening coverage determinations and redeterminations requested by an enrollee.**
  - (1) An enrollee may request that a Part D plan sponsor reopen its coverage determination or redetermination within 1 year from the date of the coverage determination or redetermination for any reason.
  - (2) An enrollee may request that a Part D plan sponsor reopen its coverage determination or redetermination within 4 years from the date of the coverage determination or redetermination for good cause in accordance with [§ 423.1986](/cfr/42/423.1986.md).
- (d) **Time frame and requirements for reopening reconsiderations, decisions and reviews initiated by an IRE, ALJ or attorney adjudicator, or the Council.**
  - (1) An IRE may reopen its reconsideration on its own motion within 180 calendar days from the date of the reconsideration for good cause in accordance with [§ 423.1986](/cfr/42/423.1986.md). If the IRE's reconsideration was procured by fraud or similar fault, then the IRE may reopen at any time.
  - (2) An ALJ or attorney adjudicator may reopen his or her decision, or the Council may reopen an ALJ or attorney adjudicator decision on its own motion within 180 calendar days from the date of the decision for good cause in accordance with [§ 423.1986](/cfr/42/423.1986.md). If the decision was procured by fraud or similar fault, then the ALJ or attorney adjudicator may reopen his or her decision, or the Council may reopen an ALJ or attorney adjudicator decision at any time.
  - (3) The Council may reopen its review decision on its own motion within 180 calendar days from the date of the review decision for good cause in accordance with [§ 423.1986](/cfr/42/423.1986.md). If the Council's decision was procured by fraud or similar fault, then the Council may reopen at any time.
- (e) **Time frames and requirements for reopening reconsiderations, decisions, and reviews requested by an enrollee or a Part D plan sponsor.**
  - (1) An enrollee who received a reconsideration or a Part D plan sponsor may request that an IRE reopen its reconsideration decision within 180 calendar days from the date of the reconsideration for good cause in accordance with [§ 423.1986](/cfr/42/423.1986.md).
  - (2) An enrollee who received an ALJ's or attorney adjudicator's decision or a Part D plan sponsor may request that an ALJ or attorney adjudicator reopen his or her decision, or the Council reopen an ALJ or attorney adjudicator decision, within 180 calendar days from the date of the decision for good cause in accordance with [§ 423.1986](/cfr/42/423.1986.md).
  - (3) An enrollee who received a Council decision or a Part D plan sponsor may request that the Council reopen its decision within 180 calendar days from the date of the review decision for good cause in accordance with [§ 423.1986](/cfr/42/423.1986.md).

# §423.1982. Notice of a revised determination or decision.

- (a) **When adjudicators initiate reopenings.** When any determination or decision is reopened and revised as provided in [§ 423.1980](/cfr/42/423.1980.md):
  - (1) The Part D plan sponsor, IRE, ALJ or attorney adjudicator, or the Council must mail its revised determination or decision to the enrollee at his or her last known address.
  - (2) The IRE, ALJ or attorney adjudicator, or the Council must mail its revised determination or decision to the Part D plan sponsor.
  - (3) An adverse revised determination or decision must state the rationale and basis for the reopening and revision and any right to appeal.
- (b) **Reopenings initiated at the request of an enrollee or a Part D plan sponsor.**
  - (1) The Part D plan sponsor, IRE, ALJ or attorney adjudicator, or the Council must mail its revised determination or decision to the enrollee at his or her last known address.
  - (2) The IRE, ALJ or attorney adjudicator or the Council must mail its revised determination or decision to the Part D plan sponsor.
  - (3) An adverse revised determination or decision must state the rationale and basis for the reopening and revision and any right to appeal.

# §423.1984. Effect of a revised determination or decision.

- (a) **Coverage determinations.** The revision of a coverage determination is binding unless an enrollee submits a request for a redetermination that is accepted and processed in accordance with [§ 423.580](/cfr/42/423.580.md) through [§ 423.590](/cfr/42/423.590.md).
- (b) **Redeterminations.** The revision of a redetermination is binding unless an enrollee submits a request for an IRE reconsideration that is accepted and processed in accordance with [§ 423.600](/cfr/42/423.600.md) through [§ 423.604](/cfr/42/423.604.md).
- (c) **Reconsiderations.** The revision of a reconsideration is binding unless an enrollee submits a request for an ALJ hearing that is accepted and processed in accordance with [§§ 423.2000 through 423.2063](/cfr/42/423.2000..423.2063.md).
- (d) **ALJ or attorney adjudicator decisions.** The revision of an ALJ or attorney adjudicator decision is binding unless an enrollee submits a request for a Council review that is accepted and processed as specified in [§§ 423.2100 through 423.2130](/cfr/42/423.2100..423.2130.md).
- (e) **Council review.** The revision of a Council determination or decision is binding unless an enrollee files a civil action in which a Federal District Court accepts jurisdiction and issues a decision.
- (f) **Appeal of only the portion of the determination or decision revised by the reopening.** Only the portion of the coverage determination, redetermination, reconsideration, or hearing decision revised by the reopening may be subsequently appealed.
- (g) **Effect of a revised determination or decision.** Consistent with [§ 423.1978(c)](/cfr/42/423.1978.md?p=c), a revised determination or decision is binding unless it is appealed or otherwise reopened.

# §423.1986. Good cause for reopening.

- (a) **Establishing good cause.** Good cause may be established when—
  - (1) **There is new and material evidence that—**
    - (i) Was not available or known at the time of the determination or decision; and
    - (ii) May result in a different conclusion; or
  - (2) The evidence that was considered in making the determination or decision clearly shows on its face that an obvious error was made at the time of the determination or decision.
- (b) **Change in substantive law or interpretative policy.**
  - (1) **General rule.** A change of legal interpretation or policy by CMS in a regulation, CMS ruling, or CMS general instruction, whether made in response to judicial precedent or otherwise, is not a basis for reopening a determination or hearing decision regarding appeals under this section.
  - (2) An adjudicator may reopen a determination or decision to apply the current law or CMS or the Part D plan sponsor policy rather than the law or CMS or the Part D plan sponsor policy at the time the coverage determination is made in situations where the enrollee has not yet received the drug and the current law or CMS or the Part D plan sponsor policy may affect whether the drug should be received.
- (c) **Third party payer error.** A request to reopen a claim based upon a third party payer's error in making a primary payment determination when Medicare processed the claim in accordance with the information in its system of records or on the claim form does not constitute good cause for reopening.