Iowa Code Title IV. Public Health [Chs. 123-158] § 135C.42. Informal conference on contested citation

1. The director shall provide an independent reviewer to hold an informal conference with the facility within ten working days after receipt of a request made under section 135C.41, subsection 2, paragraph “a”. At the conclusion of the conference the independent reviewer may affirm or may modify or dismiss the citation. The independent reviewer shall state in writing the specific reasons for the affirmation, modification, or dismissal and immediately transmit copies of the statement to the director, and to the facility. If the facility does not desire to further contest an affirmed or modified citation, it shall comply with section 135C.41, subsection 1, within five working days after receipt of the written explanation of the independent reviewer.

2. An independent reviewer shall be licensed as an attorney in the state of Iowa and shall not be employed or have been employed by the department in the past eight years or have appeared in front of the department on behalf of a health care facility in the past eight years. Preference shall be given to an attorney with background knowledge, experience, or training in long-term care. The department may issue a request for proposals to enter into a contract for the purpose of providing one or more independent reviewers for informal conferences.

3. An informal conference, as required in this section, shall be held concurrently with any informal dispute resolution held pursuant to 42 C.F.R. § 488.331 for those health care facilities certified under Medicare or the medical assistance program.