Who to Call, by State
Where to complain about an insurer, where to ask for an independent review of a denial, and where to find free help.
First, which office is yours
The denial letter has to tell you how to get an independent review. Read that paragraph first; it names the right office. If it doesn't, the kind of coverage decides:
- A plan through work that is "self-funded" (the card or the plan document may say "administered by"): the employer pays the claims, and state insurance departments don't regulate it. External review goes through the federal process the letter names. HR can tell you which kind you have.
- A plan through work that is fully insured, or one you bought yourself: your state's insurance regulator, below, runs the external review and takes complaints.
- Medicare Advantage: if the plan upholds its denial on appeal, it must send the case to Medicare's independent reviewer itself. Call the plan to confirm it was sent. Free Medicare counseling is at shiphelp.org.
- Medicaid: appeal to the plan first, then ask for a state fair hearing, below.
The usual deadline to ask for external review is four months from the plan's final denial. An urgent review must be decided within 72 hours.
If a link here is broken, search for your state's name with "department of insurance file a complaint" or "external review," and use the result on the state's own .gov site. Checked 2026-09-25.
Alaska
Not yet confirmed on the department's own site, which blocked our checks. Search the department's name before relying on these links.
Back to the list
Arizona
Not yet confirmed on the department's own site, which blocked our checks. Search the department's name before relying on these links.
Back to the list
Kansas
Not yet confirmed on the department's own site, which blocked our checks. Search the department's name before relying on these links.
Back to the list
Louisiana
Not yet confirmed on the department's own site, which blocked our checks. Search the department's name before relying on these links.
Back to the list
Massachusetts
Not yet confirmed on the department's own site, which blocked our checks. Search the department's name before relying on these links.
Back to the list
New Hampshire
Not yet confirmed on the department's own site, which blocked our checks. Search the department's name before relying on these links.
Back to the list