§ 417.482 Access to facilities and records.

The contract must provide that the HMO or CMP agrees to the following: (a) HHS may evaluate, through inspection or other means, the quality, appropriateness, and timeliness of services furnished under the contract to its Medicare enrollees. (b) HHS may evaluate, through inspection or other means, the facilities of the HMO or CMP when there is reasonable evidence of some need for that inspection. (c) HHS, the Comptroller General, or their designees may audit or inspect any books and records of the HMO or CMP or its transferee that pertain to any aspect of services performed, reconciliation of benefit liabilities, and determination of amounts payable under the contract. (d) HHS may evaluate, through inspection or other means, the enrollment and disenrollment records for the current contract period and three prior periods, when there is reasonable evidence of some need for that inspection. (e) In the case of a reasonable cost HMO or CMP to make available for the purposes specified in paragraphs (a), (b), (c), and (d) of this section, its premises, physical facilities, and equipment, its records relating to its Medicare enrollees, the records specified in § 417.480 and any additional relevant information that CMS may require. (f) That the right to inspect, evaluate, and audit, will extend through three years from the date of the final settlement for any contract period unless— (1) CMS determines there is a special need to retain a particular record or group of records for a longer period and notifies the HMO or CMP at least 30 days before the normal disposition date; (2) There has been a termination, dispute, fraud, or similar fault by the HMO or CMP, in which case the retention may be extended to three years from the date of any resulting final settlement; or (3) CMS determines that there is a reasonable possibility of fraud, in which case it may reopen a final settlement at any time.