Medicare appeal deadline calculator
Got a Medicare denial for your parent? Enter the date printed on the notice to see the last day to ask for a first-level appeal, with the rule it comes from.
Free. Nothing you type leaves this page: the date math runs in your browser, and we don't store or see it. Rules last checked October 23, 2026.
The rules this uses
| Notice | First-level appeal | Deadline rule | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Medicare Summary Notice (Original Medicare) | Redetermination, by the Medicare contractor | 120 calendar days from when your parent receives the notice. Receipt is presumed to be 5 days after the date on the notice, so the count is 125 days from that date. | 42 CFR 405.942(a); CMS |
| Medicare Advantage plan denial | Reconsideration, by the plan | 65 days from the date on the plan's denial notice (the regulation counts 60 days from receipt, with receipt presumed 5 days after the notice date) | medicare.gov; 42 CFR 422.582(b) |
| Part D drug plan denial | Redetermination, by the plan | 65 calendar days from the date of the coverage determination notice | CMS; 42 CFR 423.582(b) |
Things to know
- Original Medicare: the request counts as filed on the day the contractor receives it, not the day you mail it (42 CFR 405.942(a)(2)). Leave time for the mail.
- No minimum amount is needed to ask for a redetermination (CMS).
- Missed it? A late request can still be accepted for "good cause", such as an illness that delayed you. You have to explain the reason (42 CFR 405.942(b); medicare.gov).
- Where to send it: for Original Medicare, the contractor's address is on the last page of the Medicare Summary Notice. You can use the Redetermination Request Form (CMS-20027) or write a letter with the details medicare.gov lists.
- Weekends and holidays: this calculator doesn't move a deadline that lands on a weekend or holiday. Don't count on an extension; file earlier.
- Later levels (after the first decision) have their own, different deadlines, printed on each decision letter.
Turning a pile of paperwork into one binder? Our Parent Binder puts visit notes, medication lists, Medicare statements and bills in date order, with every line cited to its page. It checks each bill against the Medicare statement and drafts the appeal letter for you to review and send. See how it works.
Sources
- 42 CFR 405.942, Time frame for filing a request for a redetermination (Cornell LII; read October 23, 2026).
- CMS, "First Level of Appeal: Redetermination by a Medicare Contractor" (read October 23, 2026).
- Medicare.gov, Appeals in Original Medicare (read October 23, 2026).
- Medicare.gov, Appeals in Medicare health plans (read October 23, 2026).
- 42 CFR 422.582, Request for a standard reconsideration (Cornell LII; read October 23, 2026).
- CMS, "Redetermination by the Part D Plan Sponsor" (page last modified January 7, 2025; read October 23, 2026).
- 42 CFR 423.582, Request for a standard redetermination (Cornell LII; read October 23, 2026).
General information to help you organize, not legal or financial advice. The notice your parent received controls: if it prints a different date, use the notice. Rules change, so check the official source. Starry Night is not affiliated with or endorsed by Medicare, CMS, HHS or any health plan.