6. The appeal shall be conducted by an individual who is neither the individual who made the (underlying) Adverse Benefit Determination that is the subject of the appeal, nor the subordinate of such individual; and 7. Any medical or vocational expert(s) whose advice was obtained in connection with a claimant’s Adverse Benefit Determination shall be identified, without regard to whether the advice was relied upon in making the benefit determination. Disability Benefit Claims 1. Claimants (or their authorized representatives) must appeal within 180 days following their receipt of a notification of an Adverse Benefit Determination, and only one appeal is allowed; 2. Claimants shall be provided with the opportunity to submit written comments, documents, records, and/or other information relating to the claim for benefits in conjunction with their timely appeal; 3. Claimants shall be provided, upon request and free of charge, reasonable access to, and copies of, all documents, records, and other information Relevant (defined below) to the claimant’s claim for benefits; 4. The review on (timely) appeal shall take into account all comments, documents, records, and other information submitted by the claimant relating to the claim, without regard to whether such information was submitted or considered in the initial benefit determination; 5. No deference to the initial Adverse Benefit Determination shall be afforded upon appeal; 6. The appeal shall be conducted by an individual who is neither the individual who made the (underlying) Adverse Benefit Determination that is the subject of the appeal, nor the subordinate of such individual; 7. Any medical or vocational expert(s) whose advice was obtained in connection with a claimant’s Adverse Benefit Determination shall be identified, without regard to whether the advice was relied upon in making the benefit determination; 8. In deciding the appeal of any Adverse Benefit Determination that is based in whole or in part on a medical judgment, the individual conducting the appeal shall consult with a health care professional: (a) who has appropriate training and experience in the field of medicine involved in the medical judgment; and (b) who is neither an individual who was consulted in connection with the Adverse Benefit Determination that is the subject of the appeal; nor the subordinate of any such individual. TIMING OF NOTIFICATION OF BENEFIT DETERMINATION ON REVIEW Non-Disability Benefit Claims The claimant (or their authorized representative) shall be notified of the benefit determination on review within a reasonable period of time, but not later than 60 days after receipt of the claimant’s timely request for review, unless it is determined that special circumstances require an extension of time for processing the appeal. If it is determined that an extension of time for processing is required, written notice of the extension shall be furnished to the claimant prior to the termination of the initial 60-day period. In no event shall such extension exceed a period of 60 days from the end of the initial period. The extension notice shall indicate the special circumstances requiring an extension of time and the date by which the determination on review is expected to be rendered. Calculating time periods. The period of time within which a benefit determination on review is required to be made shall begin at the time an appeal is timely filed, without regard to whether all the information necessary to make a benefit determination on review accompanies the filing. In the event that a period of time is extended as above due to a claimant’s failure to submit information necessary to decide a claim, the period for making the benefit determination on review shall be tolled from the date on which the notification of the extension is sent to the claimant until the date on which the claimant responds to the request for additional information. Disability Benefit Claims The claimant (or their authorized representative) shall be notified of the benefit determination on review within a reasonable period of time, but not later than 45 days after receipt of the claimant’s timely request for review, unless it is determined that special circumstances require an extension of time for processing the appeal. If it is determined that an extension of time for processing is required, written notice of the extension shall be furnished to the claimant prior to the termination of the initial 45-day period. In no event shall such extension exceed a period of 45 days from the end of the initial period. The extension notice shall indicate the special circumstances requiring an extension of time and the date by which the determination on review is expected to be rendered. Calculating time periods. The period of time within which a benefit determination on review is required to be made shall begin at the time an appeal is timely filed, without regard to whether all the information necessary to make a benefit determination on review accompanies the filing. In the event that a period of time is extended as above due to a claimant’s failure to submit information necessary to decide a claim, the period for making the benefit determination on