44-1307.

Request for external review; exhaustion of internal grievance process; request for expedited external review of adverse determination; independent review organization; duties.

(1)(a) Except as provided in subsection (2) of this section, a request for an external review pursuant to section 44-1308, 44-1309, or 44-1310 shall not be made until the covered person has exhausted the health carrier's internal grievance process as set forth in the Health Carrier Grievance Procedure Act.

(b) A covered person shall be considered to have exhausted the health carrier's internal grievance process for purposes of this section if the covered person or the covered person's authorized representative:

(i) Has filed a grievance involving an adverse determination pursuant to section 44-7308; and

(ii) Except to the extent that the covered person or the covered person's authorized representative requested or agreed to a delay, has not received a written decision on the grievance from the health carrier within the time allowed for an internal grievance pursuant to section 44-7308.

(c) Notwithstanding subdivision (1)(b) of this section, a covered person or the covered person's authorized representative may not make a request for an external review of an adverse determination involving a retrospective review determination made pursuant to the Utilization Review Act until the covered person has exhausted the health carrier's internal grievance process.

(2)(a)(i) At the same time that a covered person or the covered person's authorized representative files a request for an expedited review of a grievance involving an adverse determination as set forth in section 44-7311, the covered person or his or her authorized representative may file a request for an expedited external review of the adverse determination:

(A) Under section 44-1309 if the covered person has a medical condition in which the timeframe for completion of an expedited review of the grievance involving an adverse determination set forth in section 44-7311 would seriously jeopardize the life or health of the covered person or would jeopardize the covered person's ability to regain maximum function; or

(B) Under section 44-1310 if the adverse determination involves a denial of coverage based upon a determination that the recommended or requested health care service or treatment is experimental or investigational and the covered person's treating physician certifies in writing that the recommended or requested health care service or treatment that is the subject of the adverse determination would be significantly less effective if not promptly initiated.

(ii) Upon receipt of a request for an expedited external review under subdivision (2)(a)(i) of this section, the independent review organization conducting the external review in accordance with the provisions of section 44-1309 or 44-1310 shall determine whether the covered person shall be required to complete the expedited grievance review process set forth in section 44-7311 before it conducts the expedited external review.

(iii) Upon a determination made pursuant to subdivision (2)(a)(ii) of this section that the covered person must first complete the expedited grievance review process set forth in section 44-7311, the independent review organization shall immediately notify the covered person and, if applicable, the covered person's authorized representative of such determination and the fact that it will not proceed with the expedited external review set forth in section 44-1309 until completion of the expedited grievance review process and the covered person's grievance at the completion of the expedited grievance review process remains unresolved.

(b) A request for an external review of an adverse determination may be made before the covered person has exhausted the health carrier's internal grievance procedures as set forth in section 44-7308 if the health carrier agrees to waive the exhaustion requirement.

(3) If the requirement to exhaust the health carrier's internal grievance procedures is waived under subdivision (2)(b) of this section, the covered person or the covered person's authorized representative may file a request in writing for a standard external review as set forth in section 44-1308 or 44-1310.