An independent state agency that intervenes in patients’ disputes with their health insurers says it saved state residents $9.6 million in 2013.
The Office of the Healthcare Advocate, headed by Victoria Veltri, assisted 5,683 people during the year, including some who had been denied coverage for a particular procedure or service and others who had been incorrectly billed.
The most common types of clinical cases were mental health and substance abuse services — which is similar to previous years.
OHA also helped the state’s health insurance exchange implement an outreach program to enroll uninsured residents in health plans, helped negotiate behavioral health insurance reforms and worked with the state’s Department of Children and Families to ensure that health insurers were billed for services for child clients with private coverage, instead of the state.
For free assistance with a health insurance matter, residents can call 866-466-4446 or e-mail healthcare.advocate@ct.gov.
