Section 50. Urgent care appeals

A. The health carrier shall notify the covered person of its initial benefit determination as soon as possible taking into account medical exigencies, but not later than 72 hours after receipt of the request, unless the covered person fails to provide sufficient information to determine whether, or to what extent, benefits are covered or payable under the health benefit plan. In the case of such failure, the health carrier shall notify the covered person as soon as possible, but not later than 24 hours after receipt of the request, of the specific information necessary to complete the claim. The covered person shall be afforded a reasonable amount of time, taking into account the circumstances, but not less than 48 hours to provide the specified information. The health carrier shall notify the covered person of its benefit determination not later than 48 hours after the earlier of (i) its receipt of the specified information or (ii) the end of the period afforded to the covered person to provide the specified additional information.

B. The notification of an urgent care adverse benefit determination that is based on a medical necessity, appropriateness, health care setting, level of care, effectiveness, experimental or investigational service or treatment, or similar exclusion or limit, shall include a description of the health carrier's urgent care appeal process including any time limits applicable to those procedures and the availability of and procedures for an expedited external review.

C. Upon receipt of an adverse benefit determination, a covered person may submit a request for an urgent care appeal either orally or in writing to the health carrier. Any appeal request made under this section by a treating health care professional shall be handled as an urgent care appeal. If such request is made by the covered person and not the treating health care professional, an individual acting on behalf of the health carrier shall apply the judgment of a prudent layperson who possesses an average knowledge of health and medicine to determine whether the appeal meets urgent care requirements.

D. All necessary information, including the benefit determination on appeal, shall be transmitted between the health carrier and the covered person by telephone, facsimile, or the most expeditious method available.

E. The health carrier shall notify the covered person and the treating health care professional of its benefit determination as soon as possible, taking into account the medical exigencies, but not later than 72 hours after receipt of an urgent care appeal.

Historical Notes

Derived from Volume 27, Issue 22, eff. July 1, 2011; amended, Virginia Register Volume 32, Issue 12, eff. February 1, 2016.

Statutory Authority

§ 12.1-13 and 38.2-223 of the Code of Virginia.