UnitedHealthcare Insurance Company claim denials in Alabama: the federal figures
UnitedHealthcare Insurance Company denied 35.5% of in-network claims in Alabama — 113,673 claims out of 320,011. Here is what happened to the people who appealed.
What happened to appeals
| Stage | Filed | Overturned |
|---|---|---|
| Internal appeal (to UnitedHealthcare Insurance Company) | 156 | 47.4% |
| External review (independent) | — | — |
What UnitedHealthcare Insurance Company denies most
The most common denial reason recorded for UnitedHealthcare Insurance Company plans in Alabama is other reasons. How that denial is beaten →
| Denial reason | Claims | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Other reasons | 28,155 | 71% |
| Service excluded from the plan | 3,134 | 7.9% |
| Administrative reason | 3,046 | 7.7% |
| Member not covered | 2,146 | 5.4% |
| Referral required | 1,681 | 4.2% |
| Provider out of network | 1,520 | 3.8% |
What to do if UnitedHealthcare Insurance Company denied your claim
- Get the reason in writing. The denial notice must state the specific reason and the plan provision behind it. If it does not, request it — you are entitled to it free of charge.
- File the internal appeal. Generally within 180 days of the denial notice. UnitedHealthcare Insurance Company overturned 47.4% of the internal appeals it received.
- If they say no again, go external. An independent organization reviews it — not UnitedHealthcare Insurance Company. Generally you have 4 months from the final internal denial. This is the step nearly everyone skips.
- Ask for expedited review if waiting would seriously jeopardise your health. That timeline is days, not months.
Everything you need for your UnitedHealthcare Insurance Company appeal: your two deadlines, the argument that fits your denial reason, an evidence checklist, and the external review request. Opens on screen the moment you pay.
Questions
Is UnitedHealthcare Insurance Company's denial rate high?
35.5% against a national average of 16% across the plans in this dataset. It is above average. A denial rate describes the insurer, not the merits of your claim.
Does appealing cost anything?
The internal appeal is free. External review is free under the HHS-administered federal process; where an issuer uses a contracted independent review organization or a state process, any fee is capped at $25.
Can UnitedHealthcare Insurance Company ignore the external decision?
No. External review decisions are binding on the plan.