(215 ILCS 134/90)

Sec. 90. Office of Consumer Health Insurance.

(a) The Director of Insurance shall establish the Office of Consumer Health Insurance within the Department of Insurance to provide assistance and information to all health care consumers within the State. Within the appropriation allocated, the Office shall provide information and assistance to all health care consumers by:

(1) assisting consumers in understanding health insurance marketing materials and the coverage provisions of individual plans;

(2) educating enrollees about their rights within individual plans;

(3) assisting enrollees with the process of filing formal grievances and appeals;

(4) establishing and operating a toll-free "800" telephone number line to handle consumer inquiries;

(5) making related information available in languages other than English that are spoken as a primary language by a significant portion of the State's population, as determined by the Department;

(6) analyzing, commenting on, monitoring, and making publicly available reports on the development and implementation of federal, State, and local laws, regulations, and other governmental policies and actions that pertain to the adequacy of health care plans, facilities, and services in the State;

(7) filing an annual report with the Governor, the Director, and the General Assembly, which shall contain recommendations for improvement of the regulation of health insurance plans, including recommendations on improving health care consumer assistance and patterns, abuses, and progress that it has identified from its interaction with health care consumers; and

(8) performing all duties assigned to the Office by the Director.

(b) The report required under subsection (a)(7) shall be filed by January 31, 2001 and each January 31 thereafter.

(c) Nothing in this Section shall be interpreted to authorize access to or disclosure of individual patient or health care professional or provider records.

(Source: P.A. 91-617, eff. 1-1-00.)