(a) If there is an imminent and serious threat to the health of the insured, as specified in subdivision (c) of Section 10169.3, all necessary information and documents shall be delivered to an independent medical review organization within 24 hours of approval of the request for review. In reviewing a request for review, the department may waive the requirement that the insured follow the insurer’s grievance process in extraordinary and compelling cases, where the commissioner finds that the insured has acted reasonably.

(b) The department shall expeditiously review requests and immediately notify the insured in writing as to whether the request for an independent medical review has been approved, in whole or in part, and, if not approved, the reasons therefor. The insurer shall promptly issue a notification to the insured, after submitting all of the required material to the independent medical review organization, that includes an annotated list of documents submitted and offer the insured the opportunity to request copies of those documents from the insurer. The department shall promptly approve insured requests whenever the insurer has agreed that the case is eligible for an independent medical review. The department shall not refer coverage decisions for independent review. To the extent an insured request for independent review is not approved by the department, the insured request shall be treated as an immediate request for the department to review the grievance.

(c) An independent medical review organization, specified in Section 10169.2, shall conduct the review in accordance with Section 10169.3 and any regulations or orders of the commissioner adopted pursuant thereto. The organization’s review shall be limited to an examination of the medical necessity of the disputed health care services and shall not include any consideration of coverage decisions or other contractual issues.

(Added by Stats. 1999, Ch. 533, Sec. 2. Effective January 1, 2000.)