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How often are HMO decisions to deny care or service changed?

Understanding the Table

Current performance area: External Appeals
Compare: Selected HMOs
Source: NYSID, 2007

Plans are listed in alphabetical order.

Click here for the pdf version of the table
 
Access to Care and ServiceStaying Healthy and Living with IllnessQuality of ProvidersGrievances
ComplaintsPrompt Pay ComplaintsInternal AppealsExternal Appeals
   
HMO Total Reviews Reversed Reviews Reversed In Part Upheld Reviews Reversal Rate1
Aetna Health Inc. 36 14 1 21 41.7%
Americhoice of NY, Inc. 0 0 0 0 0.0%
Atlantis Health Plan, Inc. 15 7 1 7 53.3%
CDPHP 15 7 0 8 46.7%
CIGNA Healthcare of NY, Inc. 4 2 0 2 50.0%
Community Blue (HealthNow) 31 13 2 16 48.4%
Empire HealthChoice HMO, Inc. 132 68 8 56 57.6%
Excellus Health Plan, Inc. 178 66 8 104 41.6%
GHI HMO Select, Inc. 5 1 1 3 40.0%
Health Net of NY, Inc. 55 17 2 36 34.5%
HIP HMO 29 10 4 15 48.3%
Independent Health Association, Inc. (IHA) 14 4 0 10 28.6%
MVP Health Plan, Inc. 19 7 0 12 36.8%
Oxford Health Plans of NY, Inc. 128 51 9 68 46.9%
Rochester Area HMO, Inc. (Preferred Care) 10 6 0 4 60.0%
Total 671 273 36 362 Avg.=46.1%

1
Rate includes "reversed in part" decisions.


Understanding the Table

When your HMO denies health care services because it claims services are experimental, investigational, not medically necessary or for HMO members, an out-of-network service, you can request an external review in which an outside medical professional reviews your case.

For each HMO, the table tells you:

  • Total number of external appeals - Cases submitted to independent external review organizations in 2007.

  • Number of reversed appeals - Cases where the independent external review organizations decided in favor of the consumer.

  • Number of reversed in part appeals - Cases where an independent external review organization decided partially in favor of the consumer. For example, an HMO may refuse payment of a five-day hospital stay claiming it was not medically necessary. The external review organization may then decide that only three of the five days were medically necessary.

  • Number of upheld appeals - Cases where external review organizations agreed with the insurer's decidion not to cover a service or procedure.

  • Reversal rate - Percentage of cases in which the external review agent decides that the HMO's decision to deny coverage should be changed. In other words the reversal rate is the percentage of reviews decided in favor of the consumer. Please note that reversed in part decisions are included in the reversal rate.

Keep in mind...

The Independent External Review category is only one of eight performance areas presented.

Before requesting an external review, you must complete the HMO's first level internal utilization review appeal process, or you and your HMO may agree jointly to waive the internal appeal process. For more information on the independent external review process, call the hotline at 1‑800‑400‑8882 or go to the External Review page.

Remember, you have the right to an external review of any final adverse decision denying coverage because the procedure, service or treatment is considered not medically necessary.

 

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State of New York
David A. Paterson
Governor
State of New York
Department of Insurance
Eric R. Dinallo
Superintendent of Insurance
State of New York
Department of Health
Richard F. Daines, M.D.
Commissioner
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