§ 422.270 Incorrect collections of premiums and cost-sharing.

(a) Definitions. As used in this section- (1) Amounts incorrectly collected- (i) Means amounts that- (A) Exceed the limits approved under § 422.262; (B) In the case of an MA private fee-for-service plan, exceed the MA monthly basic beneficiary premium or the MA monthly supplemental premium submitted under § 422.262; and (C) In the case of an MA MSA plan, exceed the MA monthly beneficiary supplemental premium submitted under § 422.262, or exceed permissible cost sharing amounts after the deductible has been met per § 422.103; and (ii) Includes amounts collected from an enrollee who was believed to be entitled to Medicare benefits but was later found not to be entitled. (2) Other amounts due are amounts due for services that were— (i) Emergency, urgently needed services, or other services obtained outside the MA plan; or (ii) Initially denied but, upon appeal, found to be services the enrollee was entitled to have furnished by the MA organization. (b) Basic commitments. An MA organization must agree to refund all amounts incorrectly collected from its Medicare enrollees, or from others on behalf of the enrollees, and to pay any other amounts due the enrollees or others on their behalf. (c) Refund methods—(1) Lump-sum payment. The MA organization must use lump-sum payments for the following: (i) Amounts incorrectly collected that were not collected as premiums. (ii) Other amounts due. (iii) All amounts due if the MA organization is going out of business or terminating its MA contract for an MA plan(s). (2) Premium adjustment or lump-sum payment, or both. If the amounts incorrectly collected were in the form of premiums, or included premiums as well as other charges, the MA organization may refund by adjustment of future premiums or by a combination of premium adjustment and lump-sum payments. (3) Refund when enrollee has died or cannot be located. If an enrollee has died or cannot be located after reasonable effort, the MA organization must make the refund in accordance with State law. (d) Reduction by CMS. If the MA organization does not make the refund required under this section by the end of the contract period following the contract period during which an amount was determined to be due to an enrollee, CMS will reduce the premium the MA organization is allowed to charge an MA plan enrollee by the amounts incorrectly collected or otherwise due. In addition, the MA organization would be subject to sanction under subpart O of this part for failure to refund amounts incorrectly collected from MA plan enrollees.