§ 422.66 Coordination of enrollment and disenrollment through MA organizations.

(a) Enrollment. An individual who wishes to elect an MA plan offered by an MA organization may make or change his or her election during the election periods specified in § 422.62 by filing the appropriate election form with the organization or through other mechanisms as determined by CMS.

(b) Disenrollment—(1) Basic rule. An individual who wishes to disenroll from an MA plan may change his or her election during the election periods specified in § 422.62 in either of the following manners:

(i) Elect a different MA plan by filing the appropriate election with the MA organization.

(ii) Submit a request for disenrollment to the MA organization in the form and manner prescribed by CMS or file the appropriate disenrollment request through other mechanisms as determined by CMS.

(2) When a disenrollment request is considered to have been made. A disenrollment request is considered to have been made on the date the disenrollment request is received by the MA organization.

(3) Responsibilities of the MA organization. The MA organization must—

(i) Submit a disenrollment notice to CMS within timeframes specified by CMS;

(ii) Provide enrollee with notice of disenrollment in a format specified by CMS; and

(iii) In the case of a plan where lock-in applies, include in the notice a statement explaining that he or she—

(A) Remains enrolled until the effective date of disenrollment; and

(B) Until that date, neither the MA organization nor CMS pays for services not provided or arranged for by the MA plan in which the enrollee is enrolled; and

(iv) File and retain disenrollment requests for the period specified in CMS instructions.

(v) In the case of an incomplete disenrollment request—

(A) Document its efforts to obtain information to complete the disenrollment request;

(B) Notify the individual (in writing or verbally) within 10 calendar days of receipt of the disenrollment request.

(C) The organization must deny the request if any additional information needed to make the disenrollment request “complete” is not received within the following timeframes:

(1) For disenrollment requests received during the AEP, by December 7, or within 21 calendar days of the request for additional information, whichever is later.