Sec. 843.261.  SPECIAL PROVISIONS FOR APPEALS OF ADVERSE DETERMINATIONS.  (a)  A health maintenance organization shall implement and maintain an internal appeal system that:
(1)  provides reasonable procedures for the resolution of an oral or written appeal concerning dissatisfaction or disagreement with an adverse determination; and
(2)  includes procedures for notification, review, and appeal of an adverse determination in accordance with Chapter 4201.
(b)  An appeal must be initiated by an enrollee, a person acting on behalf of an enrollee, or an enrollee's provider of record.
(c)  When an enrollee, a person acting on behalf of an enrollee, or an enrollee's provider of record expresses orally or in writing any dissatisfaction or disagreement with an adverse determination, the health maintenance organization or utilization review agent shall:
(1)  consider the expression of dissatisfaction or disagreement as an appeal of the adverse determination; and
(2)  review and resolve the appeal in accordance with Chapter 4201.
(d)  A health maintenance organization may integrate its appeal procedures related to adverse determinations with the complaint and appeal procedures established by the health maintenance organization under Section 843.251 and otherwise governed by this subchapter only if the procedures related to adverse determinations comply with this section and Chapter 4201.
Added by Acts 2001, 77th Leg., ch. 1419, Sec. 1, eff. June 1, 2003.
Amended by: 
Acts 2007, 80th Leg., R.S., Ch. 730 (H.B. 2636), Sec. 2E.046, eff. April 1, 2009.