State Healthcare Advocate Kevin Lembo says his office saved patients $6.7 million in 2009.
Lembo, who heads the Office of the Healthcare Advocate (OHA), the independent state agency that assists patients with health insurance issues, said the figure represents the costs of healthcare services, procedures and claims that had been denied by health insurers and that his office fought to recover.
If OHA did not intervene, Lembo said those costs would have been borne directly by the state’s health care consumers.
“The real-time services we offer can mean the difference between receiving necessary and appropriate care, or going without – leading to serious consequences,” Lembo said.
Lembo said 2009 was an extremely tough year on health care consumers in Connecticut, many of whom have lost their jobs, are uninsured or underinsured.
He said his office’s case volume increased to over 2,600 last year, an increase of 23 percent over the prior year.
OHA also experienced an increase in calls from consumers with questions about how to get or keep insurance, hang onto their COBRA benefits and understand changes in insurance laws.
