SPOTLIGHT: NY Consumers won 47 percent of appeals in 2009

Consumers seeking to reverse health plans' denials of coverage won 33,921 internal appeals against commercial insurers in 2009 out of 71,787 cases closed, according to the Consumer Guide to Health Insurers released today by the New York State Insurance Department. Consumers won 2,332 reversals in the 5,968 appeals closed against HMOs and 4,329 of the 8,946 appeals closed against non-profit insurers, Empire State News reports. In cases that underwent external review, consumers won reversals in whole or in part in 42 percent of appeals. Article and guide