Denial of Medical Insurance Claim, Response
Denial of Medical Insurance Claim, Response
This claim should not have been denied for the following reasons:
Please review the new materials submitted in order to reconsider your denial of the claim.
Please call me after you have reviewed the information I have submitted.
Please call us in the next few days so we can both take care of this promptly.
_______________
Writer
_______________
Family Member Under Whose Name the Plan is listed
This review list is provided to inform you about the document in question and assist you in its
preparation. Denial of Medical Claims in the first round is like tennis, as they lob the ball over
the net to “see what you will do.” It is standard practice for them. Your first job, then, is to
answer immediately, if not sooner. Poundage in your response weighs heavily in their analysis
of your both your claim and your conviction to pursue it.
Once you understand the game, you will be able to play it better. Think of it from their point of
view: if just 10% of claims go uncontested, their bottom line improves immeasurably. As the
numbers escalate, and I suspect it is a far higher number than 10% that don’t respond to the
initial computer generated letter, this is an enormous profit center (they might say “screening”
device) for them.
1. First, gather your documentation. Then put together a folder in which you keep your copies
attached to this claim (start seriously or don’t start at all), including all exhibits.
2. Secondly, fax and mail them your response. Mark down in your to call list to phone them in
10 days if you have not heard from them.
3. Third, call them in 10 days if you have not heard from them.
4. Fourth, on this matter, start numbering your new exhibits 3 and up so you have a complete
file to refer to when you request an appeal, if this claim is turned down. At each step of the
denial process, their profit in turning you down declines (they know the concept of “sunk
cost” though many organizations do not). Therefore, your odds of winning actually improve
as you continue this process, despite the fact it is against normal human nature, which is to
“stick to your position” and “dig in.” In this instance, it is all business. When it stops paying
to argue, they do. One caveat: you can, of course, get a claim group that is outside of this
norm. If so, still continue on. That will change as it has in our Health Organization. If you
learn to develop a plan, as in tennis, and respond swiftly to each of their denials, you will
become more efficient and they will red tag, or mark your file, you as an effective denial
fighter—and pay you more often in the cycle.
5. You will note the bureaucratic flavor of our letter, especially the numerous headings at the
top of the letter. In one sense, you are providing helpful information at the top of hour, so to
speak. Immediately they can locate all pertinent information. Just as importantly, you have
signaled them that you know how the game is played and will play it well. You have also
held your emotional fire, personal attacks and the like, so they are more apt to want to pick
up the phone and actually talk to you. Put yourself in their shoes: who wants to call a name
caller if that can be avoided? Keep “otherness” or “the other person” in mind when
responding to all legal inquiries; if you do so effectively you will be able to anticipate them
and win more rounds in the legal game—and that’s what most lawyers consider it as a
casual reading of the newspaper or media will demonstrate (and most of them don’t really
like what they do; so this too, lets you put them in the good guy role of paying up).