COMPLAINT INITIATION AND INITIAL RESPONSE; DEADLINES FOR RESPONSE AND RESOLUTION

(a) If a complainant notifies a health maintenance organization of a complaint, the health maintenance organization, not later than the fifth business day after the date of receiving the complaint, shall send to the complainant a letter acknowledging the date of receipt of the complaint. (b) The letter required under Subsection (a) must: (1) include a description of the health maintenance organization's complaint procedures and time frames; and (2) if the complaint is made orally, be accompanied by a one-page complaint form that prominently and clearly states that the form must be returned to the health maintenance organization for prompt resolution of the complaint. (c) A health maintenance organization shall acknowledge, investigate, and resolve a complaint not later than the 30th calendar day after the date the health maintenance organization receives the written complaint or one-page complaint form from the complainant. (d) Subsections (a)-(c) do not apply to a complaint concerning an emergency or a denial of continued hospitalization. A health maintenance organization shall investigate and resolve a complaint concerning an emergency or a denial of continued hospitalization: (1) in accordance with the medical or dental immediacy of the case; and (2) not later than one business day after the health maintenance organization receives the complaint.