Ariz. Admin. Code § R2-8-403 - Letters of Appeal; Request for a Hearing of an Appealable Agency Action

A. After receipt of an agency decision, a person who is not satisfied with the agency decision, may submit a letter of appeal:

1. To the ASRS's vendor for long-term disability benefits, if the appeal relates to a long-term disability decision; or

2. To the ASRS Member Services Division Assistant Director, or such director's designee, if the appeal relates to an agency decision other than a long-term disability decision or Health Plan Vendor decision.

B. Upon receipt of a letter of appeal, the long-term disability vendor, or the Member Services Division Assistant Director, or such director's designee, shall send a response letter to the person requesting the appeal notifying the person of:

1. The decision the agency is making in response to the letter of appeal; and

2. The person's right to appeal the agency response by submitting a letter of appeal to the ASRS Director or such director's designee.

C. A person who is not satisfied with the agency response pursuant to subsection (B) may submit a letter of appeal to the ASRS Director or such director's designee within 60 days of the date on the agency response letter.

D. Within 30 days of the date the ASRS receives a letter of appeal pursuant to subsection (C), the ASRS director or such director's designee shall send a response letter by certified mail to the person requesting the appeal that includes:

1. The agency action the ASRS is taking in response to the letter of appeal; and

2. Notice of Appealable Agency Action, as required pursuant to A.R.S. § 41-1092.03 informing the person requesting the appeal, that the person has a right to appeal the agency action by submitting a Request for Hearing pursuant to subsections (E) and (F).

E. For an appealable agency action, a person who is not satisfied with an agency action pursuant to subsection (D) may file a Request for a Hearing, in writing, with the ASRS. The date the Request is filed is established by the ASRS date stamp on the face of the first page of the Request. The Request shall include the following:

1. The name and mailing address of the member, employer, or other person filing the Request;

2. The name and mailing address of the attorney for the person filing the Request, if applicable;

3. A concise statement of the reasons for the appeal.

F. The person requesting a hearing shall file the Request for a Hearing with the ASRS within 30 days after receiving a response letter including a Notice of an Appealable Agency Action, pursuant to subsection (E).

G. Upon receipt of the Request for a Hearing, the ASRS shall notify the Office of Administrative Hearings as required in A.R.S. § 41-1092.03(B).

H. Pursuant to subsection (B):

1. The long-term disability vendor shall send a response letter to the person requesting the appeal within 120 days of the date the long-term disability vendor receives the letter of appeal; and

2. The Member Services Division Assistant Director, or such director's designee, shall send a response letter to the person requesting the appeal within 30 days of the date the ASRS receives the letter of appeal.

I. The Board has delegated to each Health Plan Vendor the authority to:

1. Interpret and apply the terms of the Health Plan Vendor's particular Health Plan;

2. Determine whether a particular benefit is included in the Health Plan and, if included, the amount of payment to be made under the Health Plan; and

3. Perform a full and fair review of any decision by the Health Plan Vendor regarding benefits included in or payments to be made under the Health Plan if the decision is appealed in accordance with the Health Plan Vendor's specified procedures.

J. An individual who is enrolled in a Health Plan made available by ASRS and who wishes to appeal a decision by the Health Plan Vendor shall follow the appeal procedures specified in the applicable Health Plan description.

Notes

Ariz. Admin. Code § R2-8-403

New Section made by final rulemaking at 11 A.A.R. 444, effective January 4, 2005 (Supp. 05-1). Amended by final rulemaking at 23 A.A.R. 487, effective 4/8/2017. Amended by final rulemaking at 28 A.A.R. 223, effective 1/5/2022.