many students are reporting that they are having trouble accessing care with NYSHIP and getting billed for claim denials on services they believed would be covered.

If this is happening to you please take note of the following:

Always appeal claim denials. Do this ASAP by phone and it in writing. Send your appeal letters by certified mail. You only have 45 days to appeal, so act fast.

In general, always keep notes any phone conversations with the insurance company, including who you spoke with and the day and time. Keep copies of any documentation you receive in the mail from the insurance company for you records.

A great resource is the New York Insurance Department. Here is a link to their consumer rights page:
http://www.ins.state.ny.us/hrights.htm.

They are able to assist you if you believe a claim was wrongfully denied and you were unsuccessful in appealing the decision with your insurance company.

As a last resort, if you are unable to get a satisfactory response from the insurance company, you can contact the Attorney General's office - especially if you feel the materials about your benefits were misleading.