New Oregon Insurance Law

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As of May 30th, 2001-

Might be bad, might be good:

SECTION 8. { + (1) An insurer offering health benefit plans in

this state shall have an external review program that meets the

requirements of this section and sections 10, 11 and 14 of this

2001 Act. Each insurer shall provide the external review through

an independent review organization that is under contract with

the Director of the Department of Consumer and Business Services

to provide external review. Each health benefit plan must allow

an enrollee, by applying to the insurer, to obtain review by an

independent review organization of a dispute relating to an

adverse decision by the insurer on one or more of the following:

.....

( Whether a course or plan of treatment is experimental or

investigational.

...

SECTION 13. { + (1) If an insurer has agreed under the

provisions of a health benefit plan to be bound by the decision

of an independent review organization and the insurer fails to

comply with such a decision, the Director of the Department of

Consumer and Business Services shall impose on the insurer a

civil penalty of not less than $100,000 and not more than $1

million.