| National
Resources |
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A Consumer
Guide for Getting and Keeping Health
Insurance
The
Georgetown University Health Policy Institute has written A
CONSUMER GUIDE FOR GETTING AND KEEPING HEALTH INSURANCE for each
state and the District of Columbia – fifty-one in all.
These Consumer Guides are available at www.healthinsuranceinfo.net
and will be updated periodically as changes in federal and state
policy warrant.
National Directory of State Health
Department Websites
The National Association of Insurance
Commissioners (NAIC) is the organization of insurance regulators
from every U.S. state and territory. The NAIC provides a forum
for the development of uniform policy when uniformity is
appropriate. A state regulator's primary responsibility is to
protect the interests of insurance consumers, and the NAIC helps
regulators fulfill that obligation.
Click the map or the links below it to go to your state insurance
department's web site.
Consumer Information on
Health Plans
The Department of Labor's Employee Benefits
Security Administration (EBSA) provides this Web page dedicated
to consumer information on health plans to provide health plan
participants and their beneficiaries with information on their
rights under the federal health benefits law with respect to
their job-based plans. The information ranges from general
information on the law to numerous specific issues. Great
resource!
Protect Yourself Against Illegal
Health Plans (PDF)
Insurance Commissioners that gives
information on how to protect yourself from purchasing fraudulent
health insurance.
Health Privacy: Know Your Rights
(PDF)
The Health Insurance Portability and
Accountability Act (HIPAA) put new rules into effect in April of
2003 to help protect the privacy of your medical records. These
rules restrict access to protected health information by anyone
not involved in treatment, payment or health care operations
without the patient's permission. Protected health information is
information that is indentifiable to an individual such as name,
social security number, telephone number or address, and birth
date. This site gives information about your privacy rights under
these new rules.
HMO Patient Self-Defense
Kit
Strategies for dealing with 'corporate
medicine.'
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Alabama |
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HIPAA,
Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, Frequently
Asked Questions
This is the University of Alabama at Birmingham’s HIPPA
website. This site offers training, resources and information on
HIPAA.
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| Alaska
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Individual Health Policy
Checklist
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| Arizona
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| Arkansas
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Health Insurance Portability and
Accountability Act in Arkansas (PDF)
Scroll down and click on Health Insurance Information, then
choose Act 977 (HIPAA), then choose Arkansas' Health Insurance
Portability and Accountability Act ("HIPAA").
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| California |
The California Patient's
Guide
"This guide is intended to inform you of
your rights to receive quality health care and what steps you can
take if you encounter problems." You can download a PDF version
of the printed guide in Spanish or English.
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| Colorado
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HIPAA Online: Consumer Fact
Sheet
HIPAA is the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act
of 1996. Among its many provisions are health coverage rights and
protections in the event of changes such as losing one’s
job, pregnancy, moving, divorce, or death. The law also provides
rights and protections for employers when getting and renewing
health coverage for their employees. Page provides information
and links to federal HIPAA information site.
What Rights Do I Have Regarding Health
Insurance? (PDF)
Brochure explaining how you are protected by Colorado state
law.
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| Connecticut |
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Connecticut Department of Public
Health
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| Delaware |
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| District of Columbia
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| Florida
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| Georgia
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A Georgia Advocate’s Guide to
Health Care
This guide, provided by the Health Law
Section of the State Bar of Georgia and Mercer University School
of Law, offers detailed legal information for lawyers, law
students and anyone else wishing to learn about health insurance
rights for low-income individuals and other legal issues
affecting Georgia residents' access to health care.
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| Hawaii
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HawaiiPatients’
Bill of Rights and Responsibilities
Act
Hawaii’s
Health Care Law was passed to help people get the health care
they need. Under the law, people have certain rights and
responsibilities, and they are guaranteed certain health
insurance protections.
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| Idaho
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Idaho Department of Insurance
Consumer Assistance
The Department of Insurance's Web page for
consumers. It contains links to information about your rights,
the appeal process, and publications about navigating the
system.
Idaho Individual Basic Health
Policy
The Idaho Department of Insurance has defined the minimum
required benefits that health insurers must offer for individual
health plans for both "standard" plans and catastrophic. This
25-page PDF describes these plans in detail.
Your Protections Under Group Health
Insurance in Idaho
Home page for this program that provides
evaluation and treatment for children with mental health
issues.
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| Illinois
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Rights of People Living in
Nursing Homes
Residency in a nursing home does not mean that an individual has
lost any of his or her rights as a citizen of the United States
or as a resident of the State of Illinois. In addition, nursing
home residents are guaranteed certain other rights, protections,
and privileges, which are outlined on this website as well as
ways to protect those rights.
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| Indiana
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| Iowa
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| Kansas
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| Kentucky |
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| Louisiana
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| Maine
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| Maryland |
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| Massachusetts
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Office of Patient Protection
This site describes the Office of Patient Protection, which
assists you in understanding your rights with your health
carrier. The Office of Patient Protection can also help you with
internal grievances, appeals of benefit denials, medical
necessity guidelines, continuity of care, and independent
external reviews. Contact the Office of Patient Protection at
1-800-436-7757.
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| Michigan |
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| Minnesota
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| Mississippi
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| Missouri
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| Montana
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| Nebraska
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| Nevada
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Picture of Health Insurance in Nevada
(PDF)
This 21 page pdf file summarizes your rights with respect to
health insurance and also details the services the Division of
Insurance provides to consumers. There is also a listing of
health insurers that were reviewed by the Insurance Division.
Call their toll free number at 1-888-872-3234 for direct
assistance.
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| New
Hampshire
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| New
Jersey |
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| New
Mexico |
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| New
York |
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New York Department of
Health
New York City Managed Care
Consumer Assistance Program (MCCAP)
From site: "The MCCAP is a resource for
general information about managed care, for specific information
to help you understand your managed care or health plan, and for
counseling and advice when you need help getting specific
services."
NYS Department of Insurance,
Consumer Services Bureau
Learn about your rights in a managed care
plan--managed care bill of rights.
Your Rights as a Hospital
Patient in New York State
Detailed summary from the NYS Department of
Health. In English and Spanish.
Advance Directives, what everyone
should know about New York State Law
Illness or injury can happen at any time. Do your family members
or friends know your health care wishes? Would they know what to
do? Does your doctor know what treatments you do or do not want?
With advance directives, you can make sure you get the care you
want. There are two kinds of advance directives - a health care
proxy (also known as a durable power of attorney for health care)
and a living will. It is best to have both, and the best time to
write them is while you're healthy. To help you through the
process, this website provides a guide to creating a health care
proxy and a living will. Please take the time to read the
information carefully and discuss it with your family and friend.
This website provides printable PDF files of the Health Care
Proxy and Living Will forms.
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| North
Carolina |
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The Living Will, a Guide for
North
Carolinians -- Planning Your Estate
What is a living will? A living will is a declaration that you
desire to die a natural death. You do not want extraordinary
medical treatment or artificial nutrition or hydration used to
keep you alive if there is no reasonable hope of recovery. A
living will gives your doctor permission to withhold or withdraw
life support systems under certain conditions. You have a basic
right to control the decisions about your medical care, including
the decision to have extraordinary means or artificial nutrition
or hydration withheld or withdrawn if your condition is terminal
and incurable or if you are in a persistent vegetative state.
What happens if you are not competent or able to communicate this
decision? You may decide ahead of time with a living will. If you
do not have a living will, someone else may have to decide for
you. This website provided by North Carolina State University
instructs you on how to create a living will.
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| North
Dakota |
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| Ohio |
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Minimum Health Insurance
Requirements
The minimum requirements for a Health
insurance policy to cover in Ohio
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Oklahoma
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| Oregon
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Mandatory Benefits for Health Plans in
Oregon
A list of mandatory benefits to be provided
by health insurance carriers in Oregon.
How to be an Informed Health Care
Consumer in Oregon
Information on your
health care rights in Oregon and links to other state government
agencies that help Oregonians access health care and health
insurance.
Oregon’s Death with Dignity
Act
On October 27, 1997 physician-assisted suicide became a legal
medical option for terminally ill Oregonians. The Death with
Dignity Act allows terminally ill Oregon residents to obtain from
their physicians and use prescriptions for self-administered,
lethal medications. The Act states that ending one's life in
accordance with the law does not constitute suicide. Oregon is
the only state in the U.S. with a legal environment for
intentionally hastened death.
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| Pennsylvania |
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Pennsylvanians Rights
Under Act 68
This site details a PA resident's rights under Act 68 and what to
do if you have a problem with your managed care health insurance
plan. Included sections: What if my problem is urgent? /Do all
managed care plans follow this process? /Steps for handling a
problem /Additional Rights /Where to Call.
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| Rhode
Island
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| South
Carolina
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| South
Dakota
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Guaranteed Issue for
Eligible Individuals
This site explains that South Dakota has requirements for the
guaranteed issuance of certain policies to eligible individuals
regardless of their medical history. Generally, those persons who
involuntarily lose health insurance or coverage under some
governmental health programs, such as Medicare or Medicaid, are
eligible for one of two policies (usually referred to as the
basic and standard policies) each insurance company must offer
them. These policies and the application process is explained on
the site.
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| Tennessee |
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| Texas
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| Utah
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| Vermont |
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Consumer Bill of Rights
For Vermonters Covered by Managed Care Plans
1-800-631-7788
This site lists rights for Vermonters covered by managed care
plans.
Your HMO & You: What You Need to Know About
Health Maintenance Organizations
This site provides a comprehensive explanation of what
HMOs are, how they work, and your rights as a
consumer.
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Virginia
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| Washington
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Northwest Health Law
Advocates (NoHLA)
An informational resource for patient
advocates that is specific to health care access issues in
Washington State. Provides a "how-to" guide on advocating for the
uninsured and underinsured in Washington.
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| West
Virginia |
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| Wisconsin |
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Wyoming
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