1. (1) The commissioner shall establish an Office of Consumer Health Assistance before July 1, 1999.

2. (2) The office shall:

   1. (a) be a resource for health insurance consumers concerning health insurance coverage or the need for such coverage;

   2. (b) help health insurance consumers understand:

      1. (i) contractual rights and responsibilities;
      2. (ii) statutory protections; and
      3. (iii) available remedies, including adverse benefit determination processes;

   3. (c) educate health insurance consumers:

      1. (i) by producing or collecting and disseminating educational materials to consumersand health insurers; and
      2. (ii) through outreach and other educational activities;
   4. (d) for health insurance consumers that have difficulty in accessing their health insurance policies because of language, disability, age, or ethnicity, provide information and services, directly or through referral;
   5. (e) analyze and monitor federal and state consumer health insurance statutes, rules, and regulations; and
   6. (f) summarize information gathered under this section and make the summaries available to the public, government agencies, and the Legislature.

3. (3) The office may:

   1. (a) obtain data from health insurance consumers as necessary to further the office's duties under this section;
   2. (b) investigate complaints and attempt to resolve complaints at the lowest possible level; and
   3. (c) assist, but not testify or represent, a consumer in an adverse benefit determination, arbitration, judicial, or related proceeding, unless the proceeding is in connection with an enforcement action under Section 31A-2-308.
4. (4) The commissioner may adopt rules necessary to implement the requirements of this section.

Amended by Chapter 120, 2024 General Session