What the rules say
For many health plans, if the plan denies your internal appeal, you may be able to ask for an external review by an independent reviewer outside the plan. Under the federal rules, the request for external review generally must be filed within four months after the date you receive the denial notice; state processes must allow at least four months.
Scope and limits
Not every plan is covered the same way, and the review can uphold the denial. This page does not say whether your plan or claim qualifies.
What you can do
Note the date you received your denial notice, since the deadline to request external review runs from it. The notice should describe your appeal rights. You can ask your plan: "Is my plan eligible for external review, and what is the deadline for my denial?"
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Related
Sources last checked: October 18, 2026.
Everything here is consumer information — not financial or legal advice. It covers what a rule says and where to find it; the decisions stay yours.