Health Education and Advocacy Unit

The Health Education and Advocacy Unit of the Consumer Protection Division helps consumers whose health plan has refused to cover a medical procedure or to pay for a medical service that has already been provided.

Maryland law allows both consumers and providers, on behalf of consumers, to file complaints against insurance carriers. If you are a provider and wish to file a complaint, Click Here.

The Unit also assists consumers in resolving billing disputes with hospitals, doctors, insurance companies and other health care providers. Other assistance the Unit can provide includes helping consumers negotiate refunds for medical equipment that is defective or was never delivered, and seeking repairs for medical equipment and other health care products. The Unit uses the process of mediation to attempt to resolve these consumer complaints.

Do you want to file a complaint about a non-health related good or service? If so, click here to file a Consumer Complaint.

This page tells you how to file a complaint online. If you would prefer to file your complaint by mail, click here for instructions for using our printed complaint forms.

Instructions to File a Complaint Online

1. Gather any documents that are relevant to your complaint. Examples include:

• billing statements from your doctor or other provider;
• an adverse coverage decision from your carrier; and,
• correspondence.

(You may need to refer to these documents while you are filling out the complaint form and will need to send copies of these documents to our office after you file your complaint.)

2. Complete a Medical Record Consent form.

(This form is necessary so that we can obtain medical information related to your complaint and communicate with the necessary people in our effort to resolve it.)

3. Mail in copies of your relevant documents, a copy of your complaint and a completed Medical Record Release form.

Receipt of these forms is necessary to begin the mediation process.

To file your Complaint Online, Click Here.

Privacy Note: Complaint forms submitted online are protected through encryption. The information you submit will be used by the Attorney General staff in investigating your complaint. Medical or psychological information about an individual will not be disclosed to the public. To read our full privacy policy, Click Here.