OAR 436-030-0023: Correcting and Rescinding Notices of Closure

(1) An insurer may rescind or correct its Notice of Closure prior to the expiration of the appeal period for that notice and prior to or on the same day that the director receives a request for reconsideration of the Notice of Closure. (2) The form, format, and completion of the Correcting and Rescinding Notices of Closure are the same as those of the Notice of Closure except that, to correct a Notice of Closure, a Form 1644c must be used and, to rescind a Notice of Closure, a Form 1644r must be used. An insurer may rescind and reissue a Notice of Closure by using a Form 1644 when such actions can be accomplished at the same time, the claim remains closed, and other provisions of these rules are met. (3) The "Date of closure (mailing date)" on the Correcting or Rescinding Notice of Closure must be the date the correction or rescission is mailed. The mailing date of the Notice of Closure being rescinded or corrected must be identified within the body of the Correcting or Rescinding Notice of Closure. (4) The worker’s copy of the Correcting and Rescinding Notices of Closure must be mailed by both regular mail and certified mail return receipt requested, consistent with OAR 436-030-0020(8) and (10). (5) Rescinding Notices of Closure, Form 1644r, are used to rescind the Notice of Closure and return the claim to open status. Examples of appropriate uses of Rescinding Notices of Closure include, but are not limited to: (a) The worker was not medically stationary at the time the Notice of Closure was issued; and (b) The closure was otherwise premature. (6) The Rescinding Notice of Closure must: (a) Advise the worker that the claim remains open and no aggravation rights end date has been established, if it is rescinding the first closure of the claim; (b) Initiate an appeal period as provided in OAR 436-030-0145(1) during which any request for reconsideration must be received by the director; (c) Explain the reason for the action being taken; and (d) Be distributed and mailed to the parties consistent with these rules. (7) When a Notice of Closure granting only temporary disability has been issued, if the insurer determines the worker’s medically stationary status is unchanged and the worker is entitled to an award of permanent disability, the insurer must use a Notice of Closure, Form 1644, to rescind and reissue the closure. In such cases, the Notice of Closure must: (a) Contain all required information consistent with these rules; (b) Bear the heading "Rescind and Reissue"; (c) Explain the reason the action is being taken; (d) Identify the permanent disability award being granted consistent with OAR 436-030 and 436-035; (e) Establish a new appeal period as provided in OAR 436-030-0145(1); (f) Set a new aggravation rights end date if the Notice of Closure being rescinded is the first closure of the claim; and (g) Be distributed and mailed to the parties consistent with these rules. (8) Correcting Notices of Closure, Form 1644c, are used to correct errors or omissions and do not change the closure status or the action taken by the Notice of Closure being corrected. Correcting Notices of Closure may not be used to grant permanent disability in claims where the Notice of Closure being corrected did not include an award of permanent disability. Examples of appropriate uses of Correcting Notices of Closure include, but are not limited to: (a) Permanent disability award computation errors (dollars, degrees, percentages); (b) An incorrect "mailing date"; (c) Return-to-work status errors or omissions; and (d) Incorrect or incomplete statement of temporary disability. (9) A Correcting Notice of Closure must: (a) Be issued when the director has instructed the insurer to do so because the Notice of Closure did not contain the information required by OAR 436-030-0020(4); (b) Not be used to add a new condition to the claim closure, rate a new condition not considered in the Notice of Closure being corrected, or rescind a Notice of Closure; (c) State in the body of the correcting notice only the information being corrected on the Notice of Closure and the basis for the correction; (d) Not change the appeal period for the Notice of Closure being corrected; and (e) Initiate a new appeal period as provided in OAR 436-030-0145(1) during which any request for reconsideration must be received, but only for those items being corrected.