The following is the text from the email distributed by the RDS on April 11, 2008:

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services’ (CMS’) Retiree Drug Subsidy (RDS) Center is pleased to announce that appeals of certain adverse initial determinations may now be requested through the RDS Secure Web Site. Specifically, Plan Sponsors may now request, through the RDS Secure Web Site, an appeal (i.e., may request an informal written reconsideration) of the following adverse initial determinations made by CMS' RDS Center:

·        The amount of the final payment determined at reconciliation for an application

·        The denial of an application due to failure to meet the application’s deadline

For more information, go to: How To Request Informal Written Reconsideration, which is now available on the RDS Program Web Site.

Additionally, CMS has updated the RDS Program Web Site with important instructions on how to make cost data revisions while Step 8 of Reconciliation is not fully functional. For the most updated information on this topic, go to:

·        How to Complete Reconciliation

·        How to Complete Step 8: Enter Revisions to Final Costs

·        Reconciliation Job Aid

 If you have questions, please contact CMS' RDS Center Help Line.

Thank You,

CMS’ RDS Center