87 Appeals You have the right to appeal an adverse benefit determination (claim denial or rescission of coverage). You or your authorized representative must file your appeal within 180 calendar days after you are notified of the denial or rescission. You will have the opportunity to submit written comments, documents, records, and other information supporting your claim. The Claims Administrator’s review of your claim will take into account all information you submit, regardless of whether it was submitted or considered in the initial benefit determination. The Claims Administrator’s shall offer a single mandatory level of appeal and an additional voluntary second level of appeal which may be a panel review, independent review, or other process consistent with the entity reviewing the appeal. The time frame allowed for the Claims Administrator to complete its review is dependent upon the type of review involved (e.g. pre-service, concurrent, post-service, urgent, etc.). For pre-service claims involving urgent/concurrent care, you may obtain an expedited appeal. You or your authorized representative may request it orally or in writing. All necessary information, including the Claims Administrator’s decision, can be sent between the Claims Administrator and you by telephone, facsimile or other similar method. To file an appeal for a claim involving urgent/concurrent care, you or your authorized representative must contact the Claims Administrator at the number shown on your identification card and provide at least the following information: • the identity of the claimant; • the date (s) of the medical service; • the specific medical condition or symptom; • the provider’s name; • the service or supply for which approval of benefits was sought; and • any reasons why the appeal should be processed on a more expedited basis. All other requests for appeals should be submitted in writing by the Member or the Member’s authorized representative, except where the acceptance of oral appeals is otherwise required by the nature of the appeal (e.g. urgent care). You or your authorized representative must submit a request for review to: Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield, ATTN: Appeals, P.O. Box 105568; Atlanta, GA 30348-5568. You must include Your Member Identification Number when submitting an appeal. Upon request, the Claims Administrator will provide, without charge, reasonable access to, and copies of, all documents, records, and other information relevant to your claim. “Relevant” means that the document, record, or other information: • was relied on in making the benefit determination; or • was submitted, considered, or produced in the course of making the benefit determination; or • demonstrates compliance with processes and safeguards to ensure that claim determinations are made in accordance with the terms of the plan, applied consistently for similarly-situated claimants; or • is a statement of the plan’s policy or guidance about the treatment or benefit relative to your diagnosis. The Claims Administrator will also provide you, free of charge, with any new or additional evidence considered, relied upon, or generated in connection with your claim. In addition, before you receive an adverse benefit determination on review based on a new or additional rationale, the Claims Administrator will provide you, free of charge, with the rationale. For Out of State Appeals You have to file Provider appeals with the Host Plan. This means Providers must file appeals with the same plan to which the claim was filed.