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effective date based on the election period. During face-to-face enrollments, plan staff are responsible for ensuring that a beneficiary does not choose an effective date that is not allowed. See § 30.7 for more information about effective dates of coverage and multiple available effective dates.

If an individual submits an enrollment request with an unallowable effective date, or if the plan allowed the individual to select an unallowable effective date, the plan must notify the individual in a timely manner and explain that the enrollment must be processed with a different (allowable) effective date of enrollment. The plan should resolve the issue with the individual as to the correct effective date, and the notification must be documented. If the individual refuses to have the enrollment processed with the correct effective date, the individual can cancel the enrollment according to the procedures outlined in § 70.2.

Plans must ensure enrollees have access to plan benefits as of the effective date of enrollment the plan has determined and may not delay provision of plan benefits in anticipation of the submission to or reply from CMS systems.

For additional information about effective dates of coverage, refer to § 30.7.

For auto/facilitated enrollments, refer to § 40.1.8 of this guidance for more information.

• Health Related Information – Plans may not ask health screening questions during completion of the enrollment request.

Exception for certain SNPs: An SNP offered to individuals with certain medical conditions (i.e., an SNP for chronic and disabling conditions), as permitted by CMS, will need to establish that the individual has such a condition to determine eligibility for enrollment in that specific SNP.

• Signature and Date – The individual must sign the enrollment form or complete the enrollment request mechanism. If the individual is unable to do so, an authorized representative must sign the enrollment form or complete the enrollment request mechanism. If an authorized representative enrolls an individual, the authorized representative must attest to having the authority under State law to do so, and confirm that a copy of the proof of court-appointed legal guardian, durable power of attorney, or proof of other authorization required by State law that empowers the individual to effectuate an enrollment request on behalf of the applicant is available and can be presented upon request by the plan or CMS.

The authorized representative must indicate their relationship to the individual and date they signed the enrollment form or completed the enrollment request; however, if they inadvertently fail to include the date on the enrollment request, then the date the plan receives the enrollment request may serve as the signature date of the form.

If a paper enrollment form is submitted and the signature is not included, the plan may verify with the individual with a phone call and document the contact, rather than return