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Expedited hearings may be granted to households who request a hearing, but plan to leave Montana before a decision can be made under regular time frames (SNAP 1506-3). HEARING REQUEST DENIAL/DISMISSAL: 1. A hearing may be denied or dismissed when: a. The individual or their representative withdraws the hearing request in writing or verbally. b. The individual (or representative) fails to appear at the hearing without good cause; NOTE: The Hearing Officer may reschedule the hearing if the claimant shows good cause for failure to appear. A hearing cannot be dismissed when a claimant does not appear for an Administrative Review. c. The Department receives the request more than 90 days after the date the notice was mailed. d. Either federal or state law requires automatic benefit changes (unless the issue is incorrect benefit adjustments); or, e. The Hearing Officer does not have jurisdiction over the subject matter or the appeal procedure. f. A hearing request is determined abandoned because the claimant failed to appear or request reschedule, a notice of dismissal or denial (in which the claimant is offered the opportunity to explain his/her failure to appear), is sent to the claimant by the Hearing Officer. HEARING POSTPONEMENT: The household may request and is entitled to receive a postponement of a scheduled hearing. The postponement cannot exceed 30 days unless both parties agree. The Hearings Officer's decision may be extended for as many days as the hearing is postponed. For example, if the household postpones the hearing for 10 days, the household must be notified of the hearing decision within 70 days from the date of the hearing request. ADMINISTRATIVE REVIEW: An administrative review is offered to households that contest a denial of expedited services. Households are advised that use of an administrative review is optional and that it will in no way delay or replace the administrative hearing process. The administrative review is conducted by the Department representative and includes the household and/or its representative. An administrative review may lead to an informal dispute resolution. However, an administrative hearing must still be held unless the household makes a written or oral withdrawal of its hearing request. An administrative review for households contesting a denial of expedited services is scheduled within two working days unless the household requests that it be scheduled later. CONTINUATION OF BENEFITS: A hearing request filed within the period between the notice of action date and the action effective date may result in continuation (reinstatement) of benefits until a final hearing decision is rendered. Benefits are continued until the hearing decision unless: 1. The claimant specifically requests that continued benefits not be paid pending the hearing decision; NOTE: For the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and Medicaid, when a hearing request