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The Pennsylvania Insurance Department announced last week it has formed a new consumer unit to respond to questions about health insurance.

“This new unit supplements our health insurance complaint-handling functions,” said Insurance Commissioner Mike Consedine. “The unit will also allow us to track and identify complaint trends market-wide and by company.”

This health insurance assistance unit, using the current call center referrals and online resources, will:

• Educate consumers with billing and claims problems about their rights and responsibilities with respect to their group or individual health insurance plan;

• Provide information on the internal and external grievance process;

• Assist consumers in making informed enrollment and health plan choices by educating consumers on the various types of options; and

• Distribute factsheets on health insurance options.

Regulators said the new unit will allow the department to work directly with health plans and healthcare providers to better target areas for improvement. It is funded through a federal grant. Pennsylvania consumers can visit on the Pennsylvania Insurance Department website to learn more about the new consumer unit.

Topics Pennsylvania