Tired of dealing with pricks?

Appeal an insurance denial. Manage Type 2 Diabetes treatment.

When your insurer says no to a treatment your doctor prescribed, the law says you can fight back. Here's how — state by state, in plain language.

What is an external review?

You have a right to a second opinion — and it's the law.

An external review is an independent appeal: when your insurer denies a treatment your doctor prescribed, a panel of medical experts with no financial tie to the insurer reviews the decision. The Affordable Care Act guarantees this right to nearly every insured American.

Almost no one uses it. Not because it doesn't work — because nobody told them they could. The forms feel intimidating, deadlines look strict, and most denial letters bury the appeal instructions in fine print. So patients pay out of pocket, switch to a worse drug, or quit treatment entirely.

Most denied claims aren't appealed. Most appealed claims succeed.

If your insurer denied a GLP-1, a CGM, insulin, or any other treatment your doctor prescribed, you can challenge it. This site walks you through how — for free, in your state, in plain language.

How the appeal works

Three steps. You don't need a lawyer.

  1. 1

    Internal appeal

    Write to your insurer and ask them to reconsider. Most insurers must respond within 30 days for prior authorizations and 60 days for already-incurred claims. Your doctor's office can help with the paperwork.

  2. 2

    External review

    If the internal appeal is denied, you can request review by an independent panel of medical experts. It's free. The decision is binding — your insurer must comply if the panel rules in your favor.

  3. 3

    File a complaint

    If the insurer doesn't follow procedure or ignores the panel's decision, escalate to your state insurance department. Regulators take procedural violations seriously and can impose penalties.

Tools & guides

Three places to start.

Why this site exists

Type 2 Diabetes care should not depend on whether you happen to know your rights. type2.wiki collects the information insurers don't volunteer, the procedures patients rarely use, and the tools that make complex medication regimens legible — and puts them in one place, free, with no logins.

Found an error? Have a story?

Help us make this better.

State rules change. Insurers move the goalposts. If you spot something out of date or you've been through an appeal yourself, we want to hear about it.

Get in touch →