(a) Right of reconsideration. A requester has the right to seek reconsideration of the Secretary's determination that he or she is not eligible for Program benefits. In addition, a requester who asserts that the amount of the benefits paid (or the fact that certain benefits were not paid or payable) is incorrect may also seek reconsideration. A requester may not seek reconsideration of the Secretary's decision as to the mechanism of payment. Requests for reconsideration must be in writing, describe the reason(s) why the decision should be reconsidered, and be postmarked within 60 calendar days of the date of the Secretary's decision on the Request for Benefits. Because no new documentation will be considered in the reconsideration process, the reconsideration request may not include or refer to any documentation that was not before the Secretary at the time of her determination.

(b) Letters seeking reconsideration. A requester, or his or her representative, may send the letter seeking reconsideration through the U.S. Postal Service, commercial carrier, or a private courier service. The Secretary will not accept reconsideration requests delivered by hand. Electronic submissions of letters seeking reconsideration are not currently accepted, but may be accepted in the future. The Program will publish a notice if an electronic method becomes available. Letters sent through the U.S. Postal Service, commercial carrier or private courier service must be sent to the Associate Administrator, Healthcare Systems Bureau, Health Resources and Services Administration, 5600 Fishers Lane, Room 12-105, Rockville, Maryland 20857.

(c) Reconsideration process. When the Associate Administrator of the Healthcare Systems Bureau (the Associate Administrator), receives a request for reconsideration, a qualified panel, independent of the Program, will be convened to review the Secretary's determination. The panel will base its recommendation on the documentation before the Secretary when the determination was made. The panel will perform its own review and make its own findings, which will be submitted to the Associate Administrator. The Associate Administrator will then review the panel's recommendation(s) and make a final determination, which will be sent to the requester (or his or her representative). This will be the Secretary's final action on the request for reconsideration and will be considered the Secretary's final determination on the request for Program benefits with regard to the injury that is the subject of that Request Package. Requesters may not seek review of a decision made on reconsideration.

(d) Effect of reconsideration on amending a Request Package. As stated in § 110.46, a Request Package cannot be amended after exhaustion of the reconsideration process, except for amendments by survivors seeking death benefits or executors or administrators on behalf of an estate.