(1) An order of dismissal is an order from the hearing officer ending the matter. The order is entered because the party who made the appeal withdrew from the proceeding, the appellant is no longer aggrieved, the hearing officer granted a dispositive motion dismissing the matter, or the hearing officer entered an order of default because the party who made the appeal failed to attend or refused to participate in a prehearing conference or the formal administrative hearing.

(2) The order of dismissal becomes a final order if no party files a request to vacate the order as described in subsections (3) through (7) of this section.

(3) If the hearing officer enters and serves an order dismissing the formal administrative hearing, the appellant may file a written request to vacate (set aside) the order of dismissal. Upon receipt of a request to vacate an order of dismissal, the hearing officer must schedule and serve notice of a prehearing conference as described in WAC 182-16-3080. At the prehearing conference, the party asking that the order of dismissal be vacated has the burden to show good cause according to subsection (8) of this section for an order of dismissal to be vacated and the matter to be reinstated.

(4) The request to vacate an order of dismissal must be filed with the hearing officer and the other parties. The party requesting that an order of dismissal be vacated should specify in the request with good cause why the order of dismissal should be vacated.

(5) The request to vacate an order of dismissal must be filed with the hearing officer no later than twenty-one calendar days after the date the order of dismissal was entered. If no request is received within that deadline, the dismissal order becomes the health care authority's final decision without further action.

(6) If the hearing officer finds good cause, as described in subsection (8) of this section, for the order of dismissal to be vacated, the hearing officer must enter and serve a written order to the parties setting forth the findings of fact, conclusions of law, and the reinstatement of the matter.

(7) If the order of dismissal is vacated, the hearing officer will conduct a formal administrative hearing at which the parties may present argument and evidence about issues raised in the original appeal. The formal administrative hearing may occur immediately following the prehearing conference on the request to vacate only if agreed to by the parties and the hearing officer, otherwise a formal administrative hearing date must be scheduled by the hearing officer.

(8) Good cause is a substantial reason or legal justification for failing to appear, act, or respond to an action using the provisions of Superior Court civil rule 60 as a guideline. This good cause exception does not apply to any other chapter in Title 182 WAC except WAC 182-32-3140(8).