(a) Who may file. Except as provided under § 890.1112, an individual may request an agency or retirement system to reconsider an initial decision of its employing office denying coverage or change of enrollment.

(b) Initial employing office decision. An employing office's decision is considered an initial decision as used in paragraph (a) of this section when rendered by the employing office in writing and stating the right to an independent level of review (reconsideration) by the agency or retirement system. However, an initial decision rendered at the highest level of review available within OPM is not subject to reconsideration.

(c) Reconsideration. (1) A request for reconsideration must be made in writing, must include the claimant's name, address, date of birth, Social Security number, name of carrier, reason(s) for the request, and, if applicable, retirement claim number.

(2) The reconsideration review must be an independent review designated at or above the level at which the initial decision was rendered.

(d) Time limit. A request for reconsideration of an initial decision must be filed within 30 calendar days from the date of the written decision stating the right to a reconsideration. The time limit on filing may be extended when the individual shows that he or she was not notified of the time limit and was not otherwise aware of it, or that he or she was prevented by circumstances beyond his or her control from making the request within the time limit. An agency or retirement system decision in response to a request for reconsideration of an employing office's decision is a final decision as described in paragraph (e) of this section.

(e) Final decision. After reconsideration, the agency or retirement system must issue a final decision, which must be in writing and must fully set forth the findings and conclusions.