Section 80. Incomplete or ineligible determinations

Part III. External Review

A. After the covered person has requested an external review, and if he is notified by the health carrier that the request is incomplete in accordance with § 38.2-3561 B 4 or 38.2-3563 D 6 of the Code of Virginia, the covered person shall have five business days from receipt of such notice to return the requested materials necessary to complete the request to the health carrier. The health carrier shall then have five business days to conduct the preliminary review for eligibility. Notification shall be in accordance with the provisions of § 38.2-3561 C or 38.2-3563 E of the Code of Virginia.

B. If the health carrier determines that a covered person's request for external review is complete but ineligible, the covered person may request that the commission review the ineligibility determination.

1. Within five business days from the date the covered person receives notification from the health carrier, the covered person may request in writing that the commission review the ineligibility determination by the health carrier.

2. Within one business day after receipt of a notification from the covered person, the commission shall notify the health carrier of such request.

3. Within three business days of receipt of the commission's notice to the health carrier, the health carrier shall forward all information and materials used to make the ineligibility determination to the commission.

4. Within five business days of receipt of all materials necessary to make an eligibility determination, the commission shall review the file and make such decision.

5. Within one business day of such decision, the commission shall notify the covered person and the health carrier, and the assigned independent review organization if eligible.

C. If the covered person has requested an expedited external review or an expedited external review of experimental or investigational treatment, and is notified by the health carrier that the request for such expedited external review is incomplete, the covered person shall promptly return the requested materials necessary to complete the request to the health carrier. The health carrier shall then promptly conduct the preliminary review for eligibility.

D. If the health carrier determines that a covered person's request for expedited external review is complete but ineligible, the covered person may promptly request, orally or in writing, that the commission review the ineligibility determination.

1. Upon receipt of an eligibility request from a covered person, the commission shall promptly notify the health carrier of such request.

2. The health carrier shall promptly forward all information and materials used to make the ineligibility determination to the commission.

3. Upon receipt of all information and materials from the health carrier, the commission shall promptly review the file and make an eligibility determination.

4. The commission shall promptly notify the covered person and the health carrier, and the assigned independent review organization if eligible.

E. If the request for a standard external review does not contain sufficient information to allow the commission to send the request to the health carrier, the commission shall have one business day from the date the sufficient information is received to provide notice to the health carrier.

Historical Notes

Derived from Volume 27, Issue 22, eff. July 1, 2011.

Statutory Authority

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