Law Helps Illinois Patients Denied Insurance Claims

Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn has signed legislation to beef up protections for consumers who want to appeal health insurance claim denials.

The law, signed Aug. 26, brings state law into line with consumer protections required by the federal Affordable Care Act.

The new law also extends appeal rights to consumers whose coverage has been rescinded and consumers who’ve been denied a benefit due to a pre-existing health condition.

The measure was sponsored by Chicago Democrats Rep. Mary Flowers and Sen. Heather Steans. It’s an initiative of the Illinois Department of Insurance and is based on model adopted by the National Association of Insurance Commissioners.

Quinn says the measure increases the fairness of the process of appealing a denial of a health insurance claim by turning it over to an independent review organization.