108D-13. Standard managed care entity level appeals.
(a) Notice of Adverse Benefit Determination. - A managed care entity shall provide an enrollee with a written notice of an adverse benefit determination by mail as required under 42 C.F.R. 438.404. The notice will employ a standardized form included as a provision in the contract between the managed care entity and the Department.
(b) Request for Appeal. - An enrollee, or the enrollee's authorized representative, has the right to file a request for a managed care entity level appeal of a notice of adverse benefit determination no later than 60 days after the mailing date of the notice of adverse benefit determination. Upon receipt of a request for a managed care entity level appeal, a managed care entity shall acknowledge receipt of the request for appeal in writing by mail.
(c) Continuation of Benefits. - A managed care entity shall continue the benefits of a Medicaid enrollee during the pendency of a managed care entity level appeal to the same extent required under 42 C.F.R. 438.420. In accordance with 42 C.F.R. 457.1260, NC Health Choice enrollees shall not be entitled to continuation of benefits.
(d) Notice of Resolution. - The managed care entity shall resolve the appeal as expeditiously as the enrollee's health condition requires, but no later than 30 days after receiving the request for appeal, provided that the managed care entity may extend such time frame as permitted under 42 C.F.R. 438.408. The managed care entity shall provide the enrollee and all other affected parties with a written notice of resolution by mail within this 30-day period.
(e) Right to Request Contested Case Hearing. - An enrollee, or the enrollee's authorized representative, may file a request for a contested case hearing under G.S. 108D-15 as long as (i) the enrollee, or the enrollee's authorized representative, has exhausted the appeal procedures described in this section or G.S. 108D-14 or (ii) the enrollee has been deemed, under 42 C.F.R. 438.408(c)(3), to have exhausted the managed care entity level appeals process.
(f) Request Form for Contested Case Hearing. - In the same mailing as the notice of resolution, the managed care entity shall also provide the enrollee with an appeal request form for a contested case hearing that meets the requirements of G.S. 108D-15(f).