(a) If the commissioner refuses to grant a final certificate of authority to an applicant that fails to meet the requirements of §7.1906 of this title (relating to Application for Final Certificate of Authority), notice of refusal will be in writing. Such notice will set forth the basis for the refusal, and constitutes 30 days' advance notice of revocation of the initial certificate of authority.(b) If the applicant submits a written request for a hearing within 30 days after the notice of refusal to grant a final certificate of authority is sent, revocation of the initial certificate of authority will be temporarily stayed. The commissioner will promptly conduct a hearing in which the applicant will be given an opportunity to show compliance with the requirements of this subchapter.(c) The term of the multiple employer welfare arrangement's (MEWA's) initial certificate of authority does not expire during the department's review of a timely filed application for a final certificate of authority.(d) If a timely filed application is not complete, the MEWA must timely respond to a notice of deficiency from the department. If a MEWA fails to timely respond to a notice of deficiency, the MEWA's initial certificate of authority expires five days after the date the response was due or on the one-year anniversary of the date that the MEWA's initial certificate of authority was issued, whichever occurs later.(e) A response to a notice of deficiency is timely if the response provides all information requested by the department and is made in writing:(1) not later than the 15th day after the date the notice of deficiency is received;(2) not later than the 25th day if the department receives written notice from the MEWA that additional time is required to respond to the inquiry; or(3) within a reasonable time period as agreed to by the department based on the MEWA's circumstances.(f) Before the end of the one-year term of its initial certificate of authority, a MEWA may request an extension of its initial certificate of authority. The request must be in writing and must explain in detail the basis for an extension. The initial certificate of authority may be extended for up to one year at the discretion of the commissioner on a determination that the MEWA is likely to meet the requirements of this subchapter within the granted extension period. No more than one extension of the initial certificate of authority will be granted, regardless of the length of time for which an extension was granted under this subsection.