California health insurance appeal rights
California gives you two strong tools after a denial: an internal grievance with your plan, and a free Independent Medical Review (IMR) by doctors who don’t work for your insurer. Here’s how the process works, who runs it, and the deadlines to watch.
Who regulates your health plan in California
California is unusual: two different agencies oversee health coverage, and which one handles your appeal depends on your plan. The Department of Managed Health Care (DMHC) regulates most HMOs and many PPOs — including the large majority of plans sold through Covered California. The California Department of Insurance (CDI) regulates the rest, typically certain PPO and indemnity insurance products. If you contact the DMHC and your plan is actually under CDI, the DMHC says it will forward your complaint. Not sure which applies? Check your denial letter or member ID card, or call either agency.
Two big exceptions: Medicare and Medi-Cal fee-for-service have their own separate appeal paths, and self-funded employer plans (common at large employers) are governed by federal ERISA rules rather than California’s IMR program.
Step 1 — file a grievance with your plan
Your first move is an internal appeal, which California plans call a grievance. Put your disagreement in writing, attach the denial notice and any supporting records, and ask the plan to reconsider. Federal rules generally give you at least 180 days from the denial to file your internal appeal — but confirm the exact deadline on your own notice. For urgent situations — a serious, immediate threat to your health — ask for an expedited review, and the plan must decide quickly.
You don’t have to wait indefinitely. Under DMHC rules you can take your case to the state once the plan upholds its decision, or if 30 days pass after you filed your grievance without resolution (sooner if it is urgent).
Step 2 — request a free Independent Medical Review (IMR)
California’s signature protection is the Independent Medical Review: doctors who don’t work for your insurer take a fresh look. You can request an IMR when a plan denies, changes, or delays care it calls not medically necessary, refuses an experimental or investigational treatment, or won’t pay for emergency or urgent care you already received.
The IMR is free to you — the plan pays for it. A standard IMR is usually decided within 45 days of the reviewers receiving your documentation; an expedited (urgent) IMR is usually decided within about 7 days. If the IMR goes your way, the plan must authorize the service — within five business days for DMHC cases.
California also publishes how these turn out. The DMHC reports that in roughly 73% of IMR cases the denial was reversed by the plan or overturned by the reviewers and the enrollee received the requested care (DMHC 2024 Annual Report). That is history, not a prediction about your case — but it shows that challenging a denial is often worth the effort.
If your plan is regulated by the California Department of Insurance (some PPOs), you must request the IMR within six months of the plan upholding its denial. Don’t sit on it — and confirm the timeline that applies to your plan.
Where to file and get help
- DMHC Help Center — 1-888-466-2219 — file a complaint or IMR online (the IMR application is the same form as the consumer complaint).
- California Department of Insurance — 1-800-927-4357 — for CDI-regulated plans.
You can submit forms online, and free one-on-one help is available through the DMHC’s consumer assistance program. The agency decides whether your issue qualifies for an IMR; if it doesn’t, your case is handled as a consumer complaint instead.
Putting it together
The path is simple: read the denial, file your plan grievance, then escalate to an IMR if you’re turned down. Our step-by-step guide walks through every stage, external review explains how independent review works nationwide, and our appeal-deadline guide helps you pin down your dates. In a different state? See New York appeal rights.
Frequently asked questions
Is the California Independent Medical Review really free?
Yes. The IMR is free to enrollees — your health plan pays the cost. You don’t pay any application or processing fee to file an IMR with the DMHC.
How long does a California IMR take?
A standard IMR is usually decided within 45 days after the reviewers receive your records. An expedited (urgent) IMR is usually decided within about 7 days. If the IMR is decided in your favor, a DMHC-regulated plan must authorize the care within five business days.
Do I have to appeal to my plan before requesting an IMR?
In most cases, yes — file a grievance with your health plan first. You can request the IMR once the plan upholds its denial, or if 30 days pass after you filed your grievance with no resolution (sooner if your case is urgent).
Which California agency handles my appeal?
The DMHC regulates most HMOs and many PPOs, including the large majority of Covered California plans. The California Department of Insurance regulates some PPO and indemnity plans. Check your denial letter, or contact either agency — the DMHC says it forwards cases outside its jurisdiction.
Denied in California? Build your appeal free
IntelClaim helps you assemble a clear, evidence-backed grievance or IMR request — free, purpose-built, and self-help. You stay in control.
IntelClaim is a self-help tool — not legal, medical, or insurance advice — and does not guarantee any particular outcome. Information on this site is general and may not reflect the rules of your specific plan or state. Always read your own denial letter, plan documents, and the deadlines that apply to you, and consider professional advice for your situation. No PHI is collected on this marketing site.