(A) A covered person may make a request for an expedited external review, except as provided in division (I) of this section:

(1) After an adverse benefit determination, if both of the following apply:

(a) The covered person's treating physician certifies that the adverse benefit determination involves a medical condition that could seriously jeopardize the life or health of the covered person, or would jeopardize the covered person's ability to regain maximum function, if treated after the time frame of an expedited internal appeal;

(b) The covered person has filed a request for an expedited internal appeal.

(2) After a final adverse benefit determination, if either of the following apply:

(a) The covered person's treating physician certifies that the adverse benefit determination involves a medical condition that could seriously jeopardize the life or health of the covered person, or would jeopardize the covered person's ability to regain maximum function, if treated after the time frame of a standard external review;

(b) The final adverse benefit determination concerns an admission, availability of care, continued stay, or health care service for which the covered person received emergency services, but has not yet been discharged from a facility.

(B) Immediately upon receipt of a request for an expedited external review, the health plan issuer shall determine if the request is complete under any associated rules, policies, or procedures adopted by the superintendent of insurance and eligible for expedited external review under division (A) of this section. The health plan issuer shall immediately notify the covered person of its determination in accordance with any associated rules, policies, or procedures adopted by the superintendent of insurance.

(C) If a request for an expedited review is complete and eligible, the health plan issuer shall immediately provide or transmit all necessary documents and information considered in making the adverse benefit determination in question to the assigned independent review organization electronically, or by facsimile or other available expeditious method.

(D) In addition to the information transmitted under division (C) of this section, the assigned independent review organization shall also consider relevant information as required under section 3922.07 of the Revised Code.

(E) As expeditiously as the covered person's medical condition requires, but no more than seventy-two hours after receipt by the health plan issuer of a request for an expedited, external review, the assigned independent review organization shall uphold or reverse the adverse benefit determination.

(F) If a health plan issuer fails to provide the documents and information as required in division (C) of this section, the independent review organization shall not delay the external review and may accordingly reverse the adverse benefit determination.

(G) An independent review organization shall promptly notify the covered person, health plan issuer, and superintendent of insurance of any decision made under this section. If such a notice is not made in writing, the independent review organization, shall provide, within forty-eight hours of making the decision, written confirmation, including the information required under division (H)(3) of section 3922.05 of the Revised Code, of its decision to the covered person, the health plan issuer, and the superintendent of insurance.

(H) Upon receipt of a notice by an independent review organization to reverse the adverse benefit determination, a health plan issuer shall immediately provide coverage for the health care service or services in question.

(I) An expedited, external review may not be provided for retrospective final adverse benefit determinations.

Amended by 129th General AssemblyFile No.124, HB 341, §1, eff. 9/6/2012.

Added by 129th General AssemblyFile No.48, HB 218, §1, eff. 12/26/2011.