Illinois § 75

§ 75.

Consumer advisory committee. (a) A health care plan shall establish a consumer advisory committee. The consumer advisory committee shall have the authority to identify and review consumer concerns and make advisory recommendations to the health care plan. The health care plan may also make requests of the consumer advisory committee to provide feedback to proposed changes in plan policies and procedures which will affect enrollees. However, the consumer advisory committee shall not have the authority to hear or resolve specific complaints or grievances, but instead shall refer such complaints or grievances to the health care plan's grievance committee. (b) The health care plan shall randomly select 8 enrollees meeting the requirements of this Section to serve on the consumer advisory committee. The health care plan must continue to randomly select enrollees until 8 enrollees have agreed to serve on the consumer advisory committee. Upon initial formation of the consumer advisory committee, the health care plan shall appoint 4 enrollees to a 2 year term and 4 enrollees to a one year term. Thereafter, as an enrollee's term expires, the health care plan shall re-appoint or appoint an enrollee to serve on the consumer advisory committee for a 2 year term. Members of the consumer advisory committee shall by majority vote elect a member of the committee to serve as chair of the committee. (c) An enrollee may not serve on the consumer advisory committee if during the 2 years preceding service the enrollee: (1) has been an employee, officer, or director of the plan, an affiliate of the plan, or a provider or affiliate of a provider that furnishes health care services to the plan or affiliate of the plan; or (2) is a relative of a person specified in item (1). (d) A health care plan's consumer advisory committee shall meet not less than quarterly. (e) All meetings shall be held within the State of Illinois. The costs of the meetings shall be borne by the health care plan. (Source: P.A. 91-617, eff. 1-1-00.)