Fight back · start with your notice

Your insurance denied something. Here is what to do next.

Start with the denial notice, not a statistic. Find the deadline and the address, gather the documents that support your request, and use the letter tool to organize your appeal. The numbers on this site are background — they do not prove what happened in your case.

1Find the deadline and the address in your denial notice.
2Keep the notice and gather the records that support your request.
3Use the letter tool to organize your facts. It does not send the appeal for you.

Read your denial notice first

Find four things: the reason for the denial, the date it was issued, the deadline to appeal, and where to send the appeal. Keep the notice. You will need it later. If any of these are missing, call the number on your insurance card and ask for them in writing.

Optional: look up your insurer’s public report for context. It will not replace the facts in your notice:

Write and save your appeal

Our tool · no cost · stays on your device

Turn the facts in your notice into a letter you control

Paste the notice text or enter the details yourself. The builder organizes a draft for you to check, save, and send. It does not submit anything to the insurer.

If the insurer denies your appeal, ask whether an independent review is next

If the insurer still says no after its internal appeal, you may be able to ask an organization outside the insurance company to review the decision. This is called an external or independent review. The reviewer examines the case and can uphold or overturn the insurer’s decision. Eligibility and timing depend on your plan, state, and reason for denial; some employer plans require another internal appeal first, and some urgent cases can move faster. Start with the instructions and deadline in your final denial notice, then use the official government links below to confirm where to file.

California — DMHC Independent Medical Review
Official California independent medical review information and application.
New York — DFS External Appeal
Official New York external-appeal information and public decision search.
Every other state — external review directory
HealthCare.gov lists each state's process and contacts.
DeadlinesExternal-review windows vary by plan and jurisdiction. Use the deadline printed on your final denial and confirm it with the official program before filing.

Why this is free — and what makes it different

The letter tool costs nothing and runs on your device. It does not send your notice to an AI service or our server. It does not submit the appeal, decide whether you will win, or replace advice from your plan, doctor, or lawyer. We do not sell your information or accept insurer funding.