(a) Not sooner than five years after the time for rehearing has expired, and no more often than once every five years thereafter, an individual who has been the subject of a final determination under § 15.17 may petition the initiating official for reconsideration of that determination and for reinstatement. The individual bears the burden of proof and persuasion.

(b) In support of the petition for reinstatement, the individual shall submit relevant evidence relating to the period since the original proceedings under this subpart and a statement demonstrating and explaining why treating the individual as an employee of the Public Health Service for purposes of 42 U.S.C. 233 would no longer expose the United States to an unreasonably high degree of risk of loss.

(c) Upon receiving a petition for reinstatement, the initiating official shall forward the petition, together with an evaluation and recommendation on whether the petition makes a prima facie case for reinstatement, to the adjudicating official. The adjudicating official shall determine, in the adjudicating official's discretion, whether the petition makes a prima facie case that the individual provider no longer would expose the United States to an unreasonably high degree of risk of loss. The adjudicating official's determination that a petition does not make a prima facie case for reinstatement is not subject to further review.

(d) If the adjudicating official determines that a prima facie case has been made for reinstatement, an administrative law judge shall be appointed in accordance with 5 U.S.C. 3105 and shall conduct such proceedings pursuant to §§ 15.14 through 15.16 as the administrative law judge deems necessary, in the administrative law judge's discretion, to determine whether the individual has established that treating the individual as an employee of the Public Health Service for purposes of 42 U.S.C. 233 would no longer expose the United States to an unreasonably high degree of risk of loss. After conducting such proceedings as the administrative law judge deems necessary, the administrative law judge shall certify the record to the adjudicating official and shall submit written findings of fact, conclusions of law, and a recommended decision to the adjudicating official pursuant to § 15.16.

(e) Following proceedings conducted under paragraph (d) of this section, the adjudicating official shall make the final determination on the basis of the record, findings, conclusions, and recommendations presented by the administrative law judge, which shall include the record from the original determination and any petition for rehearing. Copies of the adjudicating official's final determination shall be furnished to the parties. The adjudicating official's final determination shall constitute the final agency action.

(f) A determination that an individual is reinstated pursuant to this section shall be distributed in the same manner as provided in § 15.19 and shall apply only to acts or omissions of the individual occurring after the date of the final reinstatement determination.