(a) There is established the Independent Health Care Appeals Program in the Department of Insurance. The program will include, at a minimum, a final step in the grievance process which provides for a review by an Independent Utilization Review Organization, hereafter referred to as "IURO," as specified in regulations promulgated by the Department pursuant to the authority granted in § 6408 of this title. The purpose of the program is to provide an independent medical necessity or appropriateness of services review of final decisions of carriers to deny, reduce or terminate benefits in the event the final decision is contested by the covered person. For the purpose of this chapter "medical necessity" means the providing of covered health-care services or products that a prudent physician would provide to a patient for the purpose of diagnosing or treating an illness, injury, or disease or its symptoms, in a manner that is: (1) In accordance with generally accepted standards of medical practice; (2) Consistent with the symptoms or treatment of the condition; and (3) Not solely for anyone's convenience. (b) The appeal review shall include any decisions regarding covered benefits by the covered person's health benefits plan, and any determination by the IURO shall be binding on the health carriers. If the IURO makes a determination in favor of the carrier, it will give rise to a rebuttable presumption to that effect in any subsequent action brought by or on behalf of the covered person with respect to the decision. Should the determination favor the covered person, the health carrier shall have the ability to appeal the issue to Superior Court. In any such instance in which an appeal is taken to the Superior Court, that Court shall, upon receiving notice of the appeal, appoint an independent attorney to defend the determination from which the appeal is taken. The expenses of the appeal to the Superior Court, including the assessment of attorney fees for the attorney appointed by the Court, shall be assessed by the Court against the health carrier. This act will affect "health carriers," defined as any entity subject to insurance laws and regulations of the State. (c) A covered person may apply to the Independent Health Appeals Program for a review of any decision to deny, reduce or terminate covered benefits if the person has already completed the carrier's internal appeals process and the person contests the final decision by a carrier. Within 4 months of the date the final decision was issued by the carrier, a covered person or the covered person's authorized representative may file a request for an external review with the health carrier. Upon receipt of a request for an external review, the health carrier shall send an electronic copy of the request to the Department. (d) The Department shall, at the time of the receipt of the request for an external review, assign an IURO from the list of certified IUROs pursuant to this section and shall so inform the health carrier. The IURO shall notify the covered person or the covered person's authorized representative in writing that they have been assigned to conduct an external review. Included in the notice shall be a statement that the covered person or the covered person's authorized representative may submit additional information and supporting documentation that the IURO shall consider when conducting the external review. Such additional information must be submitted within 7 days of receipt of the notification. (e) Within 7 calendar days after the date on which the health carrier receives notice of the IURO assigned, the heath carrier shall provide to the assigned IURO all documents and information utilized in making the final decision to deny, reduce or terminate benefits, as well as the final written decision from internal appeal. (f) For cases in which the denial, reduction or termination of benefits by the health carrier is based on grounds other than medical necessity or the appropriateness of services, as defined in this section, review from the final decision of the health carrier, following completion of the health carrier's internal review process, shall be through the Department of Insurance in accordance with the provisions of § 332 of this title. (g) For cases in which a denial, reduction or termination of benefits should be reviewed by both an IURO and by the Department of Insurance, or where there is ambiguity as to where the review should be conducted, the review shall be conducted by an IURO pursuant to this section.
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