Member Plan Documents & Forms

Find tools, information, and other resources to help you get the most out of your benefits with Align Senior Care

File an Appeal

What is an appeal?

If we make a coverage decision and you are not satisfied with this decision, you can “appeal” the decision. An appeal is a formal way of asking us to review and change a coverage decision we have made.

Examples:

  • Align Senior Care denies your medical service, item or Part B drug in whole or part
  • Align Senior Care denies payment of your claim
Who can file an appeal?

Standard Payment Appeals

  • An enrollee;
  • An enrollee’s representative;
  • Non-contract provider
  • The legal representative of a deceased enrollee’s estate; or
  • Any other provider or entity (other than the MA plan) determined to have an appealable interest in the proceeding.

 Standard Pre-Service Appeals

  • An enrollee;
  • An enrollee’s representative;
  • The enrollee’s treating physician acting on behalf of the enrollee* or staff of physician’s office acting on said physician’s behalf (e.g., request is on said physician’s letterhead or otherwise indicates staff is working under the direction of the provider); or
  • Any other provider or entity (other than the MA plan) determined to have an appealable interest in the proceeding.

Expedited Pre-Service Appeals

  • An enrollee;
  • An enrollee’s representative;
  • Any physician or staff of physician’s office acting on said physician’s behalf (e.g., request is on said physician’s letterhead or otherwise indicates staff is working under the direction of the provider) acting on behalf of the enrollee.
When can an appeal be filed?

Expedited (fast) and Standard appeal requests must be made within 60 calendar days from the date on the denial notice.

  • Expedited requests can be made either orally or in writing.
  • Standard appeals request must be made in writing.

If a request for an appeal is filed beyond the sixty (60) calendar day time frame, without good cause, Align Senior Care will dismiss your appeal request

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.

Where can an appeal be filed?

You, your representative, or your treating physician on your behalf can request an expedited (fast) appeal by phone or in writing and a standard appeal in writing directly to us at:

Mail:

Align Senior Care
Appeals and Grievances Department
PO Box 4440
Glen Allen, VA 23058
Fax: 1-833-610-2380

Call us to expedite an appeal:

  • California: 1-844-305-3879 (TTY 711)
  • Florida: 1-844-788-8935 (TTY 711)
  • Michigan: 1-855-855-0336 (TTY 711)
  • Virginia: 1-855-855-0489 (TTY 711)

Providers who are submitting more than 50 pages of documentation, please share files via CD (Compact Disc) or USB (Universal Serial Bus) drive.

Can I expedite an appeal?

Yes. If your health requires a quick response, you must ask for a “fast appeal. Start by calling, writing, or faxing our plan to make your request for us to authorize or provide coverage for the medical care you want. You, your doctor, or your representative can do this.

You may file an expedited appeal by calling:

  • California: 1-844-305-3879 (TTY 711)
  • Florida: 1-844-788-8935 (TTY 711)
  • Michigan: 1-855-855-0336 (TTY 711)
  • Virginia/Massachusetts: 1-855-855-0489 (TTY 711)

If Align Senior Care decides, based on medical criteria, that your situation is “time-sensitive” or if any physician calls or writes in support of your request for an expedited review, Align Senior Care will issue a decision as expeditiously as possible, but no later than seventy-two (72) hours after receiving the request.

What is a reconsideration?

If Align Senior Care 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.

Where can a reconsideration be filed?

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

Fax: 1-833-610-2380

Mail:
Align Senior Care
Appeals and Grievances Department
PO Box 4440
Glen Allen, VA 23058

Contact Member Services Department at our toll-free number at:

  • California: 1-844-305-3879 (TTY 711)
  • Florida: 1-844-788-8935 (TTY 711)
  • Michigan: 1-855-855-0336 (TTY 711)
  • Virginia: 1-855-855-0489 (TTY 711)
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’s 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.

Who can request a reconsideration?
  • An enrollee or an enrollee’s appointed or authorized representative may request a standard or expedited reconsideration.
  • 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.

What happens next?

We will review your appeal. If any of the services you requested are still denied after our review, Medicare will provide you with a new and impartial review of your case by a reviewer outside of Align Senior Care. If you disagree with that decision, you will have further appeal rights. You will be notified of those appeal rights if this happens.

What is a good cause exception?

If a party shows good cause, Align Senior Care may extend the time frame for filing a request for a standard determination. Align Senior Care 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 the capacity to understand the time frame for filing a request for reconsideration.