Current through Register Vol. 47, No. 6, September 18, 2024
Within 20 working days after the issuance of the final report
and assessment of civil penalty, if any, the program shall respond in the
following manner.
(1)
If not
contestingfinal report. If the program does not desire to seek an
informal conference or contest the final report and civil penalty, if assessed,
the program shall remit to the department of inspections and appeals the amount
of the civil penalty, if assessed. If a program has been assessed a civil
penalty, the civil penalty shall be reduced by 35 percent if the requirements
of subrule 67.17(5) are met.
(2)
If contesting the final report. If the program desires to
contest the final report and civil penalty, if assessed, the program shall
notify the department of inspections and appeals in writing that it desires to
contest the final report and civil penalty and shall do one of the following:
a. Request an informal conference with an
independent reviewer pursuant to subrule 67.14(3); or
b. Request a contested case hearing in the
manner provided by Iowa Code chapter 17A for contested cases.
(3)
Informal
conference.
a.
Request for
informal conference. The request for an informal conference must be in
writing and include the following:
(1)
Identification of the regulatory insufficiency(ies) being disputed;
(2) The type of informal conference
requested: face-to-face or telephone conference; and
(3) A request for monitor's notes for the
regulatory insufficiencies being disputed, if desired.
b.
Submission of
documentation. The program shall submit the following within 10
working days from the date of the program's written request for an informal
conference:
(1) The names of those who will be
attending the informal conference, including legal counsel; and
(2) Documentation supporting the program's
position. The program must highlight or use some other means to identify
written information pertinent to the disputed regulatory insufficiency(ies).
Supporting documentation that is not submitted with the request for an informal
conference will not be considered, except as otherwise permitted by the
independent reviewer upon good cause shown. "Good cause" means substantial or
adequate grounds for failing to submit documentation in a timely manner. In
determining whether the program has shown good cause, the independent reviewer
shall consider what circumstances kept the program from submitting the
supporting documentation within the required time frame.
c.
Face-to-face or telephone
conference. A face-to-face or telephone conference, if requested, will
be scheduled to occur within 10 working days of the receipt of the written
request, all supporting documentation and the plan of correction required by
subrule 67.13(3).
(1) Failure to submit
supporting documentation will not delay scheduling.
(2) The conference will be scheduled for one
hour. The program will informally present information and explanation
concerning the contested regulatory insufficiency(ies). The department will
have time to respond to the program's presentation. Due to the confidential
nature of the conference, attendance may be limited.
(3) If additional information is requested by
the independent reviewer during the informal conference, the program will have
2 working days to deliver the additional materials to the independent
reviewer.
(4) When extenuating
circumstances preclude a face-to-face conference, a telephone conference will
be held or the program may be given one opportunity to reschedule the
face-to-face conference.
d.
Results. The results of
the informal conference will generally be sent within 10 working days after the
date of the informal conference, or within 10 working days after the receipt of
additional information, if requested.
(1) The
independent reviewer may affirm or may modify or dismiss the regulatory
insufficiency and civil penalty. The independent reviewer shall state in
writing the specific reasons for the affirmation, modification or dismissal of
the regulatory insufficiency.
(2)
The department will issue an amended (changes in factual content) or corrected
(changes in typographical/data errors) final report if changes result from the
informal conference.
(3) The
program must submit to the department a new plan of correction for the amended
or corrected report within 10 calendar days from the date of the letter
conveying the results of the conference.
(4) If the informal conference results in
dismissal of a regulatory insufficiency for which a civil penalty was assessed,
the corresponding civil penalty will be rescinded.
(4)
Procedure after informal
conference. After the conclusion of an informal conference:
a. If the program does not desire to further
contest an affirmed or modified final report, the program shall, within 5
working days after receipt of the written decision of the independent reviewer,
remit to the department of inspections and appeals the civil penalty, if
assessed.
b. If the program does
desire to further contest an affirmed or modified final report, the program
shall, within 5 working days after receipt of the written decision of the
independent reviewer, notify the department of inspections and appeals in
writing that it desires to formally contest the final report.
(5)
Contested case
hearings. Contested case hearings shall be conducted by the
department's administrative hearings division pursuant to Iowa Code chapter 17A
and 481-Chapter 9.