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Health care providers are a crucial part of California's health care delivery system. The Department regulates medical groups with regard to certain requirements that apply to them under the Knox-Keene Act. You may report problems with a medical group using the methods described above.
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Independent Dispute Resolution Process
The Department of Managed Health Care (DMHC) established an Independent Dispute Resolution Process (IDRP) to afford non-contracted providers who deliver EMTALA-required emergency services (“Providers”) a fast, fair and cost-effective way to resolve claim payment disputes with health care service plans or capitated providers ("Payers") concerning the “reasonable and customary” value of services rendered. IDRP is voluntary and non-binding as to both Providers and Payers.
To submit a claim dispute for review through the IDRP, the Provider must complete and submit an IDRP Request Form with supporting documentation. Upon receipt of the Provider’s request, the DMHC will review the provider’s submission and then contact the Payer to confirm the Payer’s willingness to participate in the IDRP with regard to the disputed claim. If the Payer declines to participate, the Provider will be notified. If the Payer elects to participate, the Payer will then provide its supporting documentation to the DMHC. Upon receipt of the Payer’s documentation, information concerning the claims dispute is forwarded to the IDRP External Reviewer, who may request further documentation or information, as needed.
A Provider may request review through the IDRP for an individual claim or for multiple claims (up to a total of 50 substantially similar claims.)
The IDRP utilizes a decision process that is similar to the "baseball style" model of arbitration. Accordingly, the IDRP External Reviewer is required to decide which figure (either the Provider’s billed amount, or the Payer’s paid amount) is most representative of the reasonable and customary value of the emergency services that were rendered. The IDRP External Reviewer cannot “split the difference”, or choose a different amount (outside of those submitted by one of the parties.) Note: Under the IDRP, a hospital provider may elect to lower its billed amount in connection with the hospital’s IDRP submission.
Ordinarily, an IDRP decision will be issued within sixty (60) days of receipt of required Provider and Payer documentation.
Except as required by law, documentation and information submitted to DMHC regarding disputed claims considered through IDRP will remain confidential.
Participation in IDRP is voluntary and, while the process is non-binding, DMHC feels that IDRP decisions may offer Providers and Payers a fast, fair and cost effective alternative to other slower and more costly legal remedies. As such, the parties are encouraged to comply with the decision issued by the IDRP External Reviewer.
Eligible claim disputes are those disputes which are subject to DMHC jurisdiction and meet each of the following four criteria:
- The disputed claim is limited to emergency services rendered by non-contracted physicians or hospitals.
- The services were rendered within the last four years.
- The dispute is limited to disagreement concerning the R&C value of the services rendered.
- The Provider has completed the Payer’s dispute resolution process.
Examples of ineligible claims:
- Disputes concerning claims that have not been submitted to the Payer’s dispute resolution process.
- Disputes concerning claims that are currently in arbitration or litigation in state or federal court.
- Late payment disputes.
- Interest payment disputes.
- Medi-Cal program claim disputes for which the State of California’s “Fair Hearing Process” has commenced.
- Claim disputes that are not subject to DMHC jurisdiction.
- Claim disputes with health plans licensed or regulated by another state.
- Disputes regarding claims that do not involve covered benefits.
- Claim disputes that are not subject to DMHC jurisdiction.
- Claims denied on the basis that the basis that the services were not medical necessity or were experimental/investigational in nature.
NOTE: If the disputed claim is NOT eligible for IDRP, the matter may still be submitted to the DMHC as a report concerning a possible unfair payment pattern. Additional information is available concerning the submission of a report to DMHC concerning a possible unfair payment pattern.
Currently, there is no IDRP complaint filing fee for individual physicians.
For hospital providers, the number of disputed claims listed on the IDRP Request Form determines the filing fee. Substantially similar claims can be aggregated up to fifty (50) in a single IDRP Request Form. "Substantially similar" claims are those that involve the same or similar services and the same Payer. Fees are subject to change without notice.
For hospital provider complaints:
- 1 individual claim - $100.00
- 2 to 10 claims - $200.00
- 11 to 25 claims - $400.00
- 26 to 50 claims - $600.00
How to Submit an IDRP Request Form
- Print and complete an IDRP Request Form.
- Attach the supporting documentation listed on the IDRP Request Form.
- Send the IDRP Request Form and the supporting documentation to:
Department of Managed Health Care
Provider Complaint Unit
P.O. Box 899
Sacramento, CA 95812-0899
- If you have any questions regarding this form or the IDRP, please call (877) 525-1295 or email to plans-providers@dmhc.ca.gov.
IDRP Request Form.
