(1) If the Board finds jurisdiction over a specific matter at issue and conducts a hearing on the matter (as described in §§ 405.1840(a) and 405.1845(e) of this subpart), the Board must issue a hearing decision deciding the merits of the specific matter at issue.

(2) A Board hearing decision must be in writing and based on the admissible evidence from the Board hearing and other admissible evidence and written argument or comments as may be included in the record and accepted by the Board (as described in §§ 405.1845(g) and 405.1865 of this subpart).

(3) The decision must include findings of fact and conclusions of law regarding the Board's jurisdiction over each specific matter at issue (see § 405.1840(c)(1)), and whether the provider carried its burden of production of evidence and burden of proof by establishing, by a preponderance of the evidence, that the provider is entitled to relief on the merits of the matter at issue.

(4) The decision must include appropriate citations to the record evidence and to the applicable law, regulations, CMS Rulings, and other interpretive rules, general statements of policy, and rules of agency organization, procedure, or practice established by CMS. Where the Board's decision reverses or modifies a contractor determination on an issue for which the policy expressed in an interpretive rule (other than a regulation or a CMS Ruling), general statement of policy or rule of agency organization, procedure or practice established by CMS would be dispositive of that issue (if followed by the Board), the Board decision must explain how it gave great weight to such interpretive rule or other such instruction but did not uphold the contractor's determination on the issue.

(5) A copy of the decision must be sent promptly to each party to the appeal.

(1) A Board hearing decision issued in accordance with paragraph (a) of this section is final and binding on the parties to the Board appeal unless the hearing decision is reversed, affirmed, modified, or remanded by the Administrator under §§ 405.1875(a)(2)(i), 405.1875(e), and 405.1875(f) of this subpart, no later than 60 days after the date of receipt by the provider of the Board's decision.

(2) A Board hearing decision is inoperative during the 60-day period for review of the decision by the Administrator, or in the event the Administrator reverses, affirms, modifies, or remands that decision within the period.

(3) A Board hearing decision that is final under paragraph (b)(1) of this section is subject to the provisions of § 405.1803(d) of this subpart, unless the decision is the subject of judicial review (as described in § 405.1877 of this subpart).

(4) A final Board decision under paragraph (a) and (b) of this section may be reopened and revised by the Board in accordance with §§ 405.1885 through 405.1889 of this subpart.

(5) When the contractor's denial of the relief that the provider seeks before the Board is based on procedural grounds (for example, the alleged failure of the provider to satisfy a time limit) or is based on the alleged failure to supply adequate documentation to support the provider's claim, and the Board rules that the basis of the contractor's denial is invalid, the Board remands to the contractor for the contractor to make a determination on the merits of the provider's claim.