(a) A contract may be modified or terminated at any time by written mutual consent.

(1) If the contract is terminated by mutual consent, except as provided in paragraph (b) of this section, the MA organization must provide notice to its Medicare enrollees and the general public as provided in § 422.512(b)(2) and (b)(3).

(2) If the contract is modified by mutual consent, the MA organization must notify its Medicare enrollees of any changes that CMS determines are appropriate for notification within timeframes specified by CMS.

(3) If the organization submits a request to end the term of its contract after the deadline provided in § 422.506(a)(2)(i), the contract may be terminated by mutual consent in accordance with paragraphs (a) through (d) of this section. CMS may mutually consent to the contract termination if the contract termination does not negatively affect the administration of the Medicare program.

(b) If the contract terminated by mutual consent is replaced the day following such termination by a new MA contract, the MA organization is not required to provide the notice specified in paragraph (a)(1) of this section.

(c) Agreement to limit new MA applications. As a condition of the consent to a mutual termination CMS will require, as a provision of the termination agreement language prohibiting the MA organization from applying for new contracts or service area expansions for a period of 2 years, absent circumstances warranting special consideration. This prohibition may apply regardless of the product type, contract type or service area of the previous contract.

(d) Prohibition against Part C program participation by organizations whose owners, directors, or management employees served in a similar capacity with another organization that mutually terminated its Medicare contract within the previous 2 years. During the same 2-year period, CMS will not contract with an organization whose covered persons also served as covered persons for the mutually terminating sponsor. A “covered person” as used in this paragraph means one of the following:

(1) All owners of nonrenewal or terminated organizations who are natural persons, other than shareholders who have an ownership interest of less than 5 percent.

(2) An owner in whole or part interest in any mortgage, deed of trust, note or other obligation secured (in whole or in part) by the organization, or any of the property or assets thereof, which whole or part interest is equal to or exceeds 5 percent of the total property, and assets of the organization.

(3) A member of the board of directors of the entity, if the organization is organized as a corporation.