How to File an Organization Determination

What is an Organization Determination?

An organization determination is any determination (i.e. approval or denial) made by a Medicare health plan (e.g., Liberty Medicare Advantage) regarding:

  1. Receipt of, or payment for, a managed care item or service;
  2. The amount a health plan requires an enrollee to pay for an item or service; or
  3. A limit on the quantity of items or services.

You may file a standard reconsideration if you disagree with the decision that was made by Liberty Medicare Advantage.

Who Can Request an Organization Determination?

An enrollee, an enrollee’s representative, or any provider that furnishes, or intends to furnish, services to an enrollee, may request a standard organization determination by filing an oral or written request with Liberty Medicare Advantage. Expedited requests may be requested by an enrollee, an enrollee’s representative, or any physician, regardless of whether the physician is affiliated with Liberty Medicare Advantage.

When Can an Organization Determination Be Requested?

An organization determination made by Liberty Medicare Advantage can be requested with respect to any of the following:

  • Payment for temporarily out of the area renal dialysis services, emergency services, post-stabilization care, or urgently needed services;
  • Payment for any other health services furnished by a provider other than Liberty Medicare Advantage that the enrollee believes are covered under Medicare, or, if not covered under Medicare, should have been furnished, arranged for, or reimbursed by Liberty Medicare Advantage;
  • Liberty Medicare Advantage’s refusal to provide or pay for services, in whole or in part, including the type or level of services, that the enrollee believes should be furnished or arranged for by Liberty Medicare Advantage;
  • Reduction, or premature discontinuation of a previously authorized ongoing course of treatment; or
  • Failure of Liberty Medicare Advantage to approve, furnish, arrange for, or provide payment for health care services in a timely manner, or to provide the enrollee with timely notice of an adverse determination, such that a delay would adversely affect the health of the enrollee.

Where Can an Organization Determination be filed?

The way you submit an organization redetermination depends on when your service is happening. If you are requesting an organization redetermination:

Before the service is performed: This is considered an authorization request, please contact our UM department at 1-844-854-6884 (TTY 711).

After a service is provided: This is considered a claim so you should follow the procedures above for submitting a claim.

Our plan has fourteen (14) calendar days (for a standard organization determination request) or seventy-two (72) hours (for an expedited request) from the date it gets your request to notify you of its decision.

What Is a Standard Reconsideration (i.e., Appeal)?

A reconsideration is also known as an appeal. If Liberty Medicare Advantage denies an enrollee’s request for an item, service in whole or in part, or any amounts the enrollee must pay for a service (issues an adverse organization determination), the enrollee may appeal the decision to the plan by requesting a reconsideration.

A reconsideration consists of a review of an adverse organization determination or termination of services decision, the evidence and findings upon which it was based, and any other evidence that the parties submit or that is obtained by the health plan, the QIO, or the independent review entity.

Who can Request a Standard Reconsideration (i.e., Appeal)?

  • An enrollee or an enrollee’s appointed or authorized representative may request a standard or expedited reconsideration (i.e., appeal).
  • A non-contract physician or provider to a Medicare Health plan may request a standard reconsideration without being appointed as the enrollee’s representative, on the enrollee’s behalf.
  • Non-contract providers must include a signed Waiver of Liability form holding the enrollee harmless regardless of the outcome of the appeal.
  • A physician regardless of whether the physician is affiliated with the plan may request that a Medicare Health Plan expedite a reconsideration.
  • Contract providers do not have appeal rights.

How to Request a Reconsideration

  • Reconsideration requests must be filed with the health plan within 60 calendar days from the date of the notice of the organization determination.
  • Expedited requests can be made either orally or in writing.
  • Standard requests must be made in writing unless the enrollee’s plan accepts oral requests. An enrollee should call the plan or check his or her Evidence of Coverage to determine if the plan accepts oral standard requests.

Important Things to Know About Asking for Standard Reconsideration:

A party must file the request for reconsideration within sixty (60) calendar days from the date of the notice of the organization determination. If a request for reconsideration is filed beyond the sixty (60) calendar day time frame and good cause for late filing is not provided, Liberty Medicare Advantage will forward the request to the independent review entity for dismissal.

Once the plan receives the request, it must make its decision and notify the enrollee of its decision as quickly as the enrollee’s health requires, but no later than 72 hours for expedited requests or 30 calendar days for standard requests, or 60 calendar days for payment requests.

Our plan can accept or deny your request. If we approve your request for a standard reconsideration, our approval is valid until the end of the plan year.

Where Can a Reconsideration Be Filed?

You or your representative can request a reconsideration by writing directly to us at:

What is a Good Cause Exception?

If a party shows good cause, Liberty Medicare Advantage may extend the time frame for filing a request for reconsideration (i.e., appeal). Liberty Medicare Advantage will consider the circumstance that kept the enrollee or representative from making the request on time and whether any organizational actions might have misled the enrollee.

Examples of circumstances where good cause may exist to file a late appeal include (but are not limited to) the following situations:

  • The enrollee did not personally receive the adverse organization determination notice, or he/she received it late;
  • The enrollee was seriously ill, which prevented a timely appeal;
  • There was a death or serious illness in the enrollee’s immediate family;
  • An accident caused important records to be destroyed;
  • Documentation was difficult to locate within the time limits;
  • The enrollee had incorrect or incomplete information concerning the reconsideration process; or
  • The enrollee lacked capacity to understand the time frame for filing a request for reconsideration.