(a)(1) Each health carrier shall maintain written procedures for (A) utilization review and benefit determinations, (B) expedited utilization review and benefit determinations with respect to prospective urgent care requests and concurrent review urgent care requests, and (C) notifying covered persons or covered persons’ authorized representatives of such review and benefit determinations. Each health carrier shall make such review and benefit determinations within the specified time periods under this section.

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(2) In determining whether a benefit request shall be considered an urgent care request, an individual acting on behalf of a health carrier shall apply the judgment of a prudent layperson who possesses an average knowledge of health and medicine, except that any benefit request (A) determined to be an urgent care request by a health care professional with knowledge of the covered person‘s medical condition, or (B) specified under subparagraph (B) or (C) of subdivision (38) of section 38a-591a shall be deemed an urgent care request.

(3) (A) At the time a health carrier notifies a covered person, a covered person’s authorized representative or a covered person’s health care professional of an initial adverse determination that was based, in whole or in part, on medical necessity, of a concurrent or prospective utilization review or of a benefit request, the health carrier shall notify the covered person’s health care professional (i) of the opportunity for a conference as provided in subparagraph (B) of this subdivision, and (ii) that such conference shall not be considered a grievance of such initial adverse determination as long as a grievance has not been filed as set forth in subparagraph (B) of this subdivision.

(B) After a health carrier notifies a covered person, a covered person’s authorized representative or a covered person’s health care professional of an initial adverse determination that was based, in whole or in part, on medical necessity, of a concurrent or prospective utilization review or of a benefit request, the health carrier shall offer a covered person’s health care professional the opportunity to confer, at the request of the covered person’s health care professional, with a clinical peer of such health carrier, provided such covered person, covered person’s authorized representative or covered person’s health care professional has not filed a grievance of such initial adverse determination prior to such conference. Such conference shall not be considered a grievance of such initial adverse determination.

(b) With respect to a nonurgent care request:

(1) (A) For a prospective or concurrent review request, a health carrier shall make a determination within a reasonable period of time appropriate to the covered person’s medical condition, but not later than seven calendar days after the date the health carrier receives such request, and shall notify the covered person and, if applicable, the covered person’s authorized representative of such determination, whether or not the carrier certifies the provision of the benefit.

(B) If the review under subparagraph (A) of this subdivision is a review of a grievance involving a concurrent review request, pursuant to 45 C.F.R. § 147.136, as amended from time to time, the treatment shall be continued without liability to the covered person until the covered person has been notified of the review decision.

(2) For a retrospective review request, a health carrier shall make a determination within a reasonable period of time, but not later than thirty calendar days after the date the health carrier receives such request.

(3) (A) The time period specified in subdivision (1) of this subsection may be extended once by the health carrier for up to five calendar days, and the time period specified in subdivision (2) of this subsection may be extended once by the health carrier for up to fifteen calendar days, provided the health carrier:

(i) Determines that an extension is necessary due to circumstances beyond the health carrier’s control; and

(ii) Notifies the covered person and, if applicable, the covered person’s authorized representative prior to the expiration of the initial time period, of the circumstances requiring the extension of time and the date by which the health carrier expects to make a determination.

(B) Notwithstanding the provisions of subparagraph (A) of subdivision (3) of this subsection, the time period specified in subdivision (1) of this subsection may be extended once by the health carrier for up to fifteen calendar days, provided the covered person’s health care professional notifies the health carrier that the service will not be performed for at least three months from the date such health carrier received the request.

(4) (A) If the extension pursuant to subdivision (3) of this subsection is necessary due to the failure of the covered person or the covered person’s authorized representative to provide information necessary to make a determination on the request, the health carrier shall:

(i) Specifically describe in the notice of extension the required information necessary to complete the request; and

(ii) Provide the covered person and, if applicable, the covered person’s authorized representative with not less than forty-five calendar days after the date of receipt of the notice to provide the specified information.

(B) If the covered person or the covered person’s authorized representative fails to submit the specified information before the end of the period of the extension, the health carrier may deny certification of the benefit requested.

(c) With respect to an urgent care request:

(1) (A) Unless the covered person or the covered person’s authorized representative has failed to provide information necessary for the health carrier to make a determination and except as specified under subparagraph (B) of this subdivision, the health carrier shall make a determination as soon as possible, taking into account the covered person’s medical condition, but not later than twenty-four hours after the health carrier receives such request, provided, if the urgent care request is a concurrent review request to extend a course of treatment beyond the initial period of time or the number of treatments, such request is made not less than twenty-four hours prior to the expiration of the prescribed period of time or number of treatments.

(B) Unless the covered person or the covered person’s authorized representative has failed to provide information necessary for the health carrier to make a determination, for an urgent care request specified under subparagraph (B) or (C) of subdivision (38) of section 38a-591a, the health carrier shall make a determination as soon as possible, taking into account the covered person’s medical condition, but not later than twenty-four hours after the health carrier receives such request, provided, if the urgent care request is a concurrent review request to extend a course of treatment beyond the initial period of time or the number of treatments, such request is made not less than twenty-four hours prior to the expiration of the prescribed period of time or number of treatments.

(2) (A) If the covered person or the covered person’s authorized representative has failed to provide information necessary for the health carrier to make a determination, the health carrier shall notify the covered person or the covered person’s representative, as applicable, as soon as possible, but not later than twenty-four hours after the health carrier receives such request.

(B) The health carrier shall provide the covered person or the covered person’s authorized representative, as applicable, a reasonable period of time to submit the specified information, taking into account the covered person’s medical condition, but not less than forty-eight hours after notifying the covered person or the covered person’s authorized representative, as applicable.

(3) The health carrier shall notify the covered person and, if applicable, the covered person’s authorized representative of its determination as soon as possible, but not later than forty-eight hours after the earlier of (A) the date on which the covered person and the covered person’s authorized representative, as applicable, provides the specified information to the health carrier, or (B) the date on which the specified information was to have been submitted.

(d) (1) Whenever a health carrier receives a review request from a covered person or a covered person’s authorized representative that fails to meet the health carrier’s filing procedures, the health carrier shall notify the covered person and, if applicable, the covered person’s authorized representative of such failure not later than five calendar days after the health carrier receives such request, except that for an urgent care request, the health carrier shall notify the covered person and, if applicable, the covered person’s authorized representative of such failure not later than twenty-four hours after the health carrier receives such request. For a nonurgent prospective or concurrent review request, each health carrier shall acknowledge receipt of each such request as soon as practicable, but not later than twenty-four hours after the health carrier receives such request, except that such health carrier shall respond in less time if such a response is required by applicable federal law.

(2) If the health carrier provides such notice orally, the health carrier shall provide confirmation in writing to the covered person and the covered person’s health care professional of record not later than three calendar days after providing the oral notice. No health carrier shall require a health care professional or hospital to submit additional information that was not reasonably available to such health care professional or hospital at the time that such health care professional or hospital filed the prospective or concurrent review request with such health carrier.

(e) Each health carrier shall provide promptly to a covered person and, if applicable, the covered person’s authorized representative a notice of an adverse determination.

(1) Such notice may be provided in writing or by electronic means and shall set forth, in a manner calculated to be understood by the covered person or the covered person’s authorized representative:

(A) Information sufficient to identify the benefit request or claim involved, including the date of service, if applicable, the health care professional and the claim amount;

(B) The specific reason or reasons for the adverse determination, including, upon request, a listing of the relevant clinical review criteria, including professional criteria and medical or scientific evidence and a description of the health carrier’s standard, if any, that were used in reaching the denial;

(C) Reference to the specific health benefit plan provisions on which the determination is based;

(D) A description of any additional material or information necessary for the covered person to perfect the benefit request or claim, including an explanation of why the material or information is necessary to perfect the request or claim;

(E) A description of the health carrier’s internal grievance process that includes (i) the health carrier’s expedited review procedures, (ii) any time limits applicable to such process or procedures, (iii) the contact information for the organizational unit designated to coordinate the review on behalf of the health carrier, and (iv) a statement that the covered person or, if applicable, the covered person’s authorized representative is entitled, pursuant to the requirements of the health carrier’s internal grievance process, to receive from the health carrier, free of charge upon request, reasonable access to and copies of all documents, records, communications and other information and evidence regarding the covered person’s benefit request;

(F) (i) (I) A copy of the specific rule, guideline, protocol or other similar criterion the health carrier relied upon to make the adverse determination, or (II) a statement that a specific rule, guideline, protocol or other similar criterion of the health carrier was relied upon to make the adverse determination and that a copy of such rule, guideline, protocol or other similar criterion will be provided to the covered person free of charge upon request, with instructions for requesting such copy, and (ii) the links to such rule, guideline, protocol or other similar criterion on such health carrier’s Internet web site;

(G) If the adverse determination is based on medical necessity or an experimental or investigational treatment or similar exclusion or limit, the written statement of the scientific or clinical rationale for the adverse determination and (i) an explanation of the scientific or clinical rationale used to make the determination that applies the terms of the health benefit plan to the covered person’s medical circumstances, or (ii) a statement that an explanation will be provided to the covered person free of charge upon request, and instructions for requesting a copy of such explanation;

(H) A statement explaining the right of the covered person to contact the commissioner‘s office or the Office of the Healthcare Advocate at any time for assistance or, upon completion of the health carrier’s internal grievance process, to file a civil action in a court of competent jurisdiction. Such statement shall include the contact information for said offices; and

(I) A statement, expressed in language approved by the Healthcare Advocate and prominently displayed on the first page or cover sheet of the notice using a call-out box and large or bold text, that if the covered person or the covered person’s authorized representative chooses to file a grievance of an adverse determination, (i) such appeals are sometimes successful, (ii) such covered person or covered person’s authorized representative may benefit from free assistance from the Office of the Healthcare Advocate, which can assist such covered person or covered person’s authorized representative with the filing of a grievance pursuant to 42 USC 300gg-93, as amended from time to time, (iii) such covered person or covered person’s authorized representative is entitled and encouraged to submit supporting documentation for the health carrier’s consideration during the review of an adverse determination, including narratives from such covered person or covered person’s authorized representative and letters and treatment notes from such covered person’s health care professional, and (iv) such covered person or covered person’s authorized representative has the right to ask such covered person’s health care professional for such letters or treatment notes.

(2) Upon request pursuant to subparagraph (E) of subdivision (1) of this subsection, the health carrier shall provide such copies in accordance with subsection (a) of section 38a-591n.

(f) If the adverse determination is a rescission, the health carrier shall include with the advance notice of the application for rescission required to be sent to the covered person, a written statement that includes:

(1) Clear identification of the alleged fraudulent act, practice or omission or the intentional misrepresentation of material fact;

(2) An explanation as to why the act, practice or omission was fraudulent or was an intentional misrepresentation of a material fact;

(3) A disclosure that the covered person or the covered person’s authorized representative may file immediately, without waiting for the date such advance notice of the proposed rescission ends, a grievance with the health carrier to request a review of the adverse determination to rescind coverage, pursuant to sections 38a-591e and 38a-591f;

(4) A description of the health carrier’s grievance procedures established under sections 38a-591e and 38a-591f, including any time limits applicable to those procedures; and

(5) The date such advance notice of the proposed rescission ends and the date back to which the coverage will be retroactively rescinded.

(g) (1) Whenever a health carrier fails to strictly adhere to the requirements of this section with respect to making utilization review and benefit determinations of a benefit request or claim, the covered person shall be deemed to have exhausted the internal grievance process of such health carrier and may file a request for an external review in accordance with the provisions of section 38a-591g, regardless of whether the health carrier asserts it substantially complied with the requirements of this section or that any error it committed was de minimis.

(2) A covered person who has exhausted the internal grievance process of a health carrier may, in addition to filing a request for an external review, pursue any available remedies under state or federal law on the basis that the health carrier failed to provide a reasonable internal grievance process that would yield a decision on the merits of the claim.