UnitedHealthcare: insurance claim denied

Collect

• denial letter or EOB
• member ID card
• medical records
• provider letter of medical necessity
• receipts

Steps

1. Log in and download the EOB for the denied claim.

   OnlineReview claims and EOBs (member login) Sign-in required

2. Call the number on the member ID card. Ask for the denial reason, the appeal deadline, the appeal address and a free copy of the documents relevant to the claim.

   PhoneMembers with a plan through work (employer plans) +1-866-801-4409

3. File the appeal with the online form (one form per claim), or mail it to the address on the denial letter or EOB. Attach receipts and records; EOBs are not needed.

   FormMember appeal, grievance or ERISA document request form (online)

4. Medicare Advantage members file within 65 days at the Medicare appeals page or the address in the plan's Evidence of Coverage. Ask for an expedited appeal if waiting could seriously harm health.

   FormMedicare Advantage appeals and grievances

5. After the final internal denial, ask for external review through the state insurance department (fully insured plans) or the plan's process. For employer self-funded plans, contact the Department of Labor if the plan does not follow the rules.

   RegulatorU.S. Department of Labor, Employee Benefits Security Administration +1-866-444-3272

More contacts for this issue

Facts you can cite

• Deadline

  UnitedHealthcare says most plans allow 180 days from receipt of the claim denial to submit an appeal; check your plan document for your appeal rights.

  Source: member.uhc.com, verified 2026-10-12

• Deadline

  For UnitedHealthcare of California plans, a grievance may be submitted within 180 calendar days following the incident; UnitedHealthcare acknowledges it within 5 calendar days, answers within 30 calendar days for a standard review, and decides urgent problems within 3 calendar days.

  Source: memberforms.uhc.com, verified 2026-10-12

• Deadline

  For UnitedHealthcare Medicare Advantage plans, you may file an appeal within 65 calendar days of the date of the notice of the initial organization determination, and a grievance within 60 calendar days of the circumstance. Expedited Part C pre-service appeals are decided within 72 hours.

  Source: uhc.com, verified 2026-10-12

• Contact

  UnitedHealth Group tells health plan members to call the number on their health plan ID card, and people without an ID card to use the Contact UnitedHealthcare page.

  Source: unitedhealthgroup.com, verified 2026-10-12

Rules in force

• ACA internal appeals and external review for health coverage
  45 CFR 147.136 (with 29 CFR 2560.503-1 for group health plans)

  After a health plan denies a claim, the patient has 180 days to file an internal appeal. The plan must decide within 30 days (care not yet received), 60 days (care already received) or 72 hours (urgent care). After a final denial, the patient can ask for an independent external review within 4 months; the plan must accept the reviewer's decision.

  Source: law.cornell.edu, verified 2026-10-12

  10 citable points

  • Deadline

    "You must file your internal appeal within 180 days (6 months) of receiving notice that your claim was denied."

    Source: healthcare.gov, verified 2026-10-12

  • Deadline

    The internal appeal must be completed within 30 days for a service not yet received and within 60 days for a service already received.

    Source: healthcare.gov, verified 2026-10-12

  • Deadline

    For urgent care claims, a group health plan must decide an appeal "not later than 72 hours after receipt of the claimant's request for review".

    Source: law.cornell.edu, verified 2026-10-12

  • Process

    In urgent situations, "You may file an internal appeal and an external review request at the same time."

    Source: healthcare.gov, verified 2026-10-12

  • Policy

    Plans must continue coverage pending the outcome of an appeal, and may not reduce or end benefits for an ongoing course of treatment without advance notice and an opportunity for advance review.

    Source: law.cornell.edu, verified 2026-10-12

  • Deadline

    An external review must be requested within "4 months after the date you receive a notice or final determination" from the insurer. A standard decision is due no later than 45 days after the request is received; an expedited decision no later than 72 hours.

    Source: healthcare.gov, verified 2026-10-12

  • Policy

    The insurer is required by law to accept the external reviewer's decision. The HHS-administered process is free; a state or insurer-contracted process may charge, but not more than $25 per review.

    Source: healthcare.gov, verified 2026-10-12

  • Policy

    If the plan fails to strictly follow the internal claims and appeals requirements, the claimant "is deemed to have exhausted the internal claims and appeals process", subject to a de minimis exception.

    Source: law.cornell.edu, verified 2026-10-12

  • Limit

    These internal appeal and external review requirements generally do not apply to grandfathered plans.

    Source: law.cornell.edu, verified 2026-10-12

  • Contact

    For plans that use the HHS-administered external review process, requests can be filed online with MAXIMUS Federal Services, by calling 1-888-866-6205 for a form, or by email to ferp@maximus.com. For a state process, the contact is in the final denial notice or Explanation of Benefits.

    Source: healthcare.gov, verified 2026-10-12

• ERISA claims procedure timelines for employer benefit plans
  29 CFR 2560.503-1

  Employer-sponsored benefit plans covered by ERISA must decide claims and appeals within set deadlines. Group health plans: 72 hours for urgent care, 15 days for pre-service and 30 days for post-service claims; disability plans: 45 days; other plans: 90 days. Group health and disability claimants get at least 180 days to appeal. If the plan does not follow the procedures, the claimant may sue.

  Source: law.cornell.edu, verified 2026-10-12

  7 citable points

  • Deadline

    Group health plan initial decisions: urgent care claims "not later than 72 hours after receipt of the claim by the plan"; pre-service claims within 15 days, with one extension of up to 15 days; post-service claims "not later than 30 days after receipt of the claim", with one extension of up to 15 days.

    Source: law.cornell.edu, verified 2026-10-12

  • Deadline

    Disability claims: notice of decision "not later than 45 days after receipt of the claim by the plan", with an extension of up to 30 days and a second extension of up to 30 days. Other plans (not group health or disability): not later than 90 days, with one extension of up to 90 days.

    Source: law.cornell.edu, verified 2026-10-12

  • Deadline

    Time to appeal a denial: group health plan and disability claimants must have at least 180 days after receiving the adverse benefit determination. Claimants under other plans must have "at least 60 days following receipt of a notification" of the adverse determination.

    Source: law.cornell.edu, verified 2026-10-12

  • Deadline

    Group health plan appeal decisions (one-level appeal): urgent care within 72 hours, pre-service within 30 days, post-service within 60 days after the plan receives the appeal. With two appeal levels, each level has 15 days (pre-service) or 30 days (post-service).

    Source: law.cornell.edu, verified 2026-10-12

  • Deadline

    Appeal decisions for other plans are due not later than 60 days after the request for review (up to 60 more days in special circumstances); for disability plans the period is 45 days.

    Source: law.cornell.edu, verified 2026-10-12

  • Policy

    On appeal, the plan must provide, "upon request and free of charge, reasonable access to, and copies of, all documents" relevant to the claim.

    Source: law.cornell.edu, verified 2026-10-12

  • Policy

    If the plan fails to establish or follow these claims procedures, "a claimant shall be deemed to have exhausted the administrative remedies available under the plan" and may bring a civil action under ERISA section 502(a).

    Source: law.cornell.edu, verified 2026-10-12

If that fails, escalate

Go up one step at a time. Keep the reference numbers and dates from each contact.

1. Customer service

   PhoneMembers with a plan through work (employer plans) +1-866-801-4409

   Call the member services number on the back of the member ID card.

2. Written complaint

   FormMember appeal, grievance or ERISA document request form (online)

   Internal appeal or grievance online, or by mail to the address on the denial letter or EOB.

3. State agency

   Your state’s insurance department. Find it in the list of state agencies (also as JSON: states/<code>.json, for example states/ny.json).

   External review for fully insured plans; complaint to the state.

4. Federal regulator

   RegulatorU.S. Department of Labor, Employee Benefits Security Administration +1-866-444-3272

   Employer self-funded (ERISA) plans.

5. Federal regulator

   RegulatorCMS No Surprises Help Desk +1-800-985-3059

   Surprise bills under the No Surprises Act.

Watch out

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