Section 31A-2-216 - Office of Consumer Health Assistance(1) The commissioner shall establish an Office of Consumer Health Assistance before July 1, 1999 .
(2) The office shall:(a) be a resource for health insurance consumers concerning health insurance coverage or the need for such coverage;(b) help health insurance consumers understand: (i) contractual rights and responsibilities;(ii) statutory protections; and(iii) available remedies, including adverse benefit determination processes;(c) educate health insurance consumers: (i) by producing or collecting and disseminating educational materials to consumers and health insurers; and(ii) through outreach and other educational activities;(d) for health insurance consumers that have difficulty in accessing their health insurance policies because of language, disability, age, or ethnicity, provide information and services, directly or through referral ; (e) analyze and monitor federal and state consumer health insurance statutes, rules, and regulations; and(f) summarize information gathered under this section and make the summaries available to the public, government agencies, and the Legislature.(3) The office may:(a) obtain data from health insurance consumers as necessary to further the office's duties under this section;(b) investigate complaints and attempt to resolve complaints at the lowest possible level; and(c) assist, but not testify or represent, a consumer in an adverse benefit determination, arbitration, judicial, or related proceeding, unless the proceeding is in connection with an enforcement action under Section 31A-2-308.(4) The commissioner may adopt rules necessary to implement the requirements of this section.Amended by Chapter TBD, 2024 General Session ,§ 6, eff. 5/1/2024.Amended by Chapter 308, 2002 General Session.