Bill > HB2581

This bill establishes a Health Care Claims Consumer Assistance Program within the Department of Insurance and Financial Institutions to help individuals enrolled in or seeking to enroll in a health plan by assisting them with filing complaints and appeals, resolving disputes and denied claims with health insurers, and educating them about their rights and responsibilities. The bill also introduces penalties for health insurers that repeatedly violate health plan terms, including civil penalties of at least $25,000 for each wrongfully denied or insufficiently paid claim, and mandates that insurers pay double the amount of such claims plus attorney fees, with potential for additional damages based on the severity of harm to the policyholder. Furthermore, the department will collect data on denied and wrongfully denied claims, and insurers must disclose this data upon request, with the department required to publish an annual report detailing claim denial statistics and investigation outcomes on its website and providing copies to legislative leaders and the governor's office. The bill also includes provisions for adjusting penalty amounts based on premium rate changes and inflation, and appropriates $250,000 for the program's operation.

Budget and Finance, Business and Industry

https://apps.azleg.gov/BillStatus/BillOverview/84405