410.240—Evidence.
(a) Evidence of eligibility.
A claimant for benefits shall submit such evidence of eligibility as is specified in this section. The Administration may at any time require additional evidence to be submitted with regard to entitlement or the right to receive payment.
(b) Insufficient evidence of eligibility.
Whenever a claimant for benefits has submitted no evidence or insufficient evidence of eligibility, the Administration will inform the claimant what evidence is necessary for a determination of eligibility and will request him to submit such evidence within a specified reasonable time which may be extended for a further reasonable time upon the claimant's request.
(c) Reports by beneficiary; evidence of nonoccurrence of termination, suspension, or reduction event.
Any individual entitled to a benefit who is aware of any circumstance which, under the provisions of this part could affect his entitlement to benefits, his eligibility for payment, or the amount of his benefit, or result in the termination, suspension, or reduction of his benefit, shall promptly report such circumstance to the Administration. The Administration may at any time require an individual receiving, or claiming that he is entitled to receive, a benefit, either on behalf of himself or on behalf of another, to submit a written statement giving pertinent information bearing upon the issue of whether or not an event has occurred which would cause such benefit to be terminated, or which would subject such benefit to reductions or suspension under the provisions of the Act. The failure on the part of such individual to submit any such report or statement, properly executed, to the Administration, shall subject such benefit to reductions, suspension, or termination, as the case may be.
(d) Place and manner of submitting evidence.
Evidence in support of a claim shall be filed at an office of the Administration or with an employee of the Administration authorized to receive such evidence at a place other than such office. Such evidence may be submitted as part of a prescribed application form if the form provides for its inclusion, or it may be submitted in addition to such prescribed form and in the manner indicated in this section.
(e) Certification of evidence by authorized individual.
In cases where a copy of a record, document, or other evidence, or an excerpt of information therefrom, is acceptable as evidence in lieu of the original, such copy or excerpt shall, except as may otherwise clearly be indicated thereon, be certified as a true and exact copy or excerpt by the official custodian of any such record or by an employee of the Administration authorized to make certifications of any such evidence.
(f) Evidence of total disability or death due to pneumoconiosis.
For evidence requirements to support allegations of total disability or death due to pneumoconiosis; for the effect of the failure or refusal of an individual to present himself for an examination or test in connection with the alleged disability, or to submit evidence of disability; and for evidence as to the cessation of disability, see subpart D of this part 410.
(g) Evidence of matters other than total disability or death due to pneumoconiosis.
With respect to the following matters, evidence shall be submitted in accordance with the provisions of Regulations No. 4 ( part 404 of this chapter) cited hereinafter, as if the claim for benefits under the Act were an application for benefits under section 202 of the Social Security Act. Evidence as to:
(h) Reimbursement for reasonable expenses in obtaining medical evidence.
Claimants for benefits under this part shall be reimbursed promptly for reasonable medical expenses incurred by them for services from medical sources of their choice, in establishing their claims, including the reasonable and necessary cost of travel incident thereto. A medical expense generally is not “reasonable” when the medical evidence for which the expense was incurred is of no value in the adjudication of a claim. Medical evidence will then be considered to be of “no value” when, for instance, it is wholly duplicative or when it is wholly extraneous to the medical issue of whether the claimant is disabled or died due to pneumoconiosis. In order to minimize inconvenience and possible expense to the claimant, he should not generally incur any medical expense for which he intends to claim reimbursement without first contacting the district office to determine what types of evidence not already available to the Administration may be useful in adjudicating his claim, what types of medical evidence may be reimbursable, and what would constitute a “reasonable medical expense” in a given case. However, a claimant's failure to contact the Administration before the expense is incurred will not preclude the Administration from later approving reimbursal for any reasonable medical expense. Where a reasonable expense for medical evidence is ascertained, the Administration may authorize direct payment to the provider of such evidence.