health insurance claims; consumer assistance

SB 1397 establishes a state-run health insurance consumer assistance program to help Arizona residents resolve disputes with insurers, including denied claims, appeals, and coverage issues. It requires health insurers to prominently display program information on benefit statements and report denial data to the state. Insurers that wrongfully deny valid claims face civil penalties up to $25,000 per violation, must pay double damages to affected consumers, and could lose their license. The program also mandates annual state reports tracking denial rates and insurer compliance.