On or before July 1, 2006, the commissioner, pursuant to his or her authority under Section 12921.1, shall also complete all of the following duties:
(a) Provide announcements that inform health insurance consumers and their health care providers of the department’s toll-free telephone number that is dedicated to the handling of complaints and of the availability of the Internet Web page established under this section, and the process to register a complaint with the department and to submit an inquiry to it.
(b) Establish an Internet Web page located on the department’s public Internet Web site dedicated exclusively to processing complaints and inquiries relating to health insurance issues from insureds and their health care providers. The Web page shall provide insureds and their health care providers with information concerning filing a complaint and making an inquiry concerning a health insurer and, at a minimum, shall provide the following information:
(1) The department’s toll-free telephone number.
(2) A list of all health insurers licensed by the department.
(3) Educational and informational guides for health insurance consumers and health care providers describing their rights under this code. The guides shall be easy to read and understand and shall be made available to the public, including access on the department’s Internet Web site.
(4) A separate, standardized complaint form for health care providers to file a complaint.
(c) An insured or health care provider may file a written complaint with the department with respect to the handling of a claim or other obligation under a health insurance policy by a health insurer or production agency, or with respect to the alleged misconduct by a health insurer or production agency. The commissioner shall notify the complainant of the receipt of the complaint within 10 business days of its receipt. The commissioner shall make a determination on the complaint within 60 calendar days of the date of its receipt, unless the commissioner, in his or her discretion, determines that additional time is reasonably necessary to fully and fairly evaluate the complaint. The commissioner shall notify the complainant of the final action taken on his or her complaint within 30 days of the final action. The notification shall include a summary explaining the commissioner’s reasons for the final action.
(Added by renumbering Section 10133.66 (as added by Stats. 2005, Ch. 723) by Stats. 2006, Ch. 405, Sec. 9. Effective September 22, 2006. Operative January 1, 2007, by Sec. 14 of Ch. 405.)