(a) General rules. (1) If an ALJ believes that the written record is missing information that is essential to resolving the issues on appeal and that information can be provided only by CMS or its contractors, then the ALJ may either:
(1) If an ALJ believes that the written record is missing information that is essential to resolving the issues on appeal and that information can be provided only by CMS or its contractors, then the ALJ may either:
(i) Remand the case to the QIC that issued the reconsideration or
(ii) Retain jurisdiction of the case and request that the contractor forward the missing information to the appropriate hearing office.
(2) If the information is not information that can be provided only by CMS or its contractors, the ALJ must retain jurisdiction of the case and obtain the information on his or her own, or directly from one of the parties.
(3) ``Can be provided only by CMS or its contractors'' means the information is not publicly available, and is not in the possession of, and cannot be requested and obtained by one of the parties. Information that is publicly available is information that is available to the general public via the Internet or in a printed publication. It includes, but is not limited to, information available on a CMS or contractor Web site or information in an official CMS or DHHS publication (including, but not limited to, provisions of NCDs or LCDs, procedure code or modifier descriptions, fee schedule data, and contractor operating manual instructions).
(b) ALJ remands a case to a QIC. Consistent with Sec. 405.1004 (b), the ALJ will remand a case to the appropriate QIC if the ALJ determines that a QIC's dismissal of a request for reconsideration was in error.
(c) Relationship to local and national coverage determination appeals process. (1) The ALJ remands an appeal to the QIC that made the reconsideration if the appellant is entitled to relief pursuant to 42 CFR 426.460(b)(1), 426.488(b), or 426.560(b)(1).
(1) The ALJ remands an appeal to the QIC that made the reconsideration if the appellant is entitled to relief pursuant to 42 CFR 426.460(b)(1), 426.488(b), or 426.560(b)(1).
(2) Unless the appellant is entitled to relief pursuant to 42 CFR 426.460(b)(1), 426.488(b), or 426.560(b)(1), the ALJ applies the LCD or NCD in place on the date the item or service was provided. [70 FR 11472, Mar. 8, 2005, as amended at 74 FR 65335, Dec. 9, 2009]