(a) The appellant or any other party to the hearing may request that the MAC review an ALJ's decision or dismissal.
(b) Under circumstances set forth in Sec. Sec. 405.1104 and 405.1108, the appellant may request that a case be escalated to the MAC for a decision even if the ALJ has not issued a decision or dismissal in his or her case.
(c) When the MAC reviews an ALJ's decision, it undertakes a de novo review. The MAC issues a final decision or dismissal order or remands a case to the ALJ within 90 calendar days of receipt of the appellant's request for review, unless the 90 calendar day period is extended as provided in this subpart.
(d) When deciding an appeal that was escalated from the ALJ level to the MAC, the MAC will issue a final decision or dismissal order or remand the case to the ALJ within 180 calendar days of receipt of the appellant's request for escalation, unless the 180 calendar day period is extended as provided in this subpart. [70 FR 11472, Mar. 8, 2005, as amended at 74 FR 65336, Dec. 9, 2009]