Ohio Department Of Insurance Expedited Complaint Handling Option (ECHO) Presentation to ICAE Fall Conference October 5, 2005 Suzette S. Dave 9/24/2019

Expedited Complaint Handling Option: ECHO Launched July 2002 A web-based application Allows the Department to more effectively & efficiently share complaint information 9/24/2019

Complaint Media Complaints are received in a variety of ways: USPS Fax On-line Walk-ins Paper complaints versus on-line complaints The benefits of handling complaints electronically Paper complaints are opened, stamped batched, then scanned into the imaging database for assignment by appropriate supervisor. While on-line complaints are moved electronically into the imaging database, queued to the appropriate supervisor for assignment. The benefits: reduces mail time, handling time, gets to the carrier quicker, allowing the company to focus on serving and achieving better results for our Ohio consumers. 9/24/2019

On-Line Complaints How do we get there A walk-through www.ohioinsurance.gov 9/24/2019

This is the first screen you see when you log into the Ohio Department of Insurance’s website. If you look to the far left, next to the last arrow you will see “File a Complaint with ODI.” Click on that arrow and it will take you directly to the instructions page. You can also get to it from the top, just under the ODI logo, you will see “Consumer Services.” Click on that and you’ll get to a list of various services, one of which will read “File a consumer complaint.” ODI Home Page; one can get to the complaint form in many ways; we’ll use the left-side arrows…”File a Complaint With ODI” 9/24/2019

Click the top, “Consumer complaint Information page” 9/24/2019

“Fill this form out Online” 9/24/2019

This is the page the consumer completes for an online complaint This is the page the consumer completes for an online complaint. As you can see, the complainant in this case is Suzette Dave…….and, by the way, this is merely a test and WILL NOT be counted against the carrier. 9/24/2019

Bottom half of the online complaint form 9/24/2019

The bottom portion of the online form advises the consumer of several things: 1) that this complaint and any other documents the consumer sends to us MAY be a public record, subject to Ohio’s Public Records Act; 2) original documents will be imaged, then destroyed; 3) this form and any attached documents MAY be sent to the company or agent involved. Clicking the “I agree” box provides an electronic signature, and once submitted the consumer instantly receive the following acknowledgment. 9/24/2019

An acknowledgement to the consumer the on-line complaint was received and advising the approximate length of time for resolution. 9/24/2019

You will see the benefits ECHO How it works Test Case You will see the benefits 9/24/2019

The analyst has coded the complaint into the tracking database,,, generated or created initial inquiries,,, including a personal acknowledgement to the consumer,,, and is now ready to link the tracking database information with imaging database. Once that’s done, the analyst is now ready to forward the complaint to the carrier via ECHO… 9/24/2019

All the work has taken place in the tracking and imaging databases; the analyst has only a few clicks to get the complaint to the carrier: 1) code the file #; 2) click “Get Info;” The page will populate with all the appropriate information. 9/24/2019

The analyst does a quick look-over to verify the carrier is correct and, if the complaint needs to go to another carrier as well, plugs that email address in. If it is to be sent via “secured transmission,” the analyst clicks the bottom left box, just before “send Email.” Then, sends. 9/24/2019

This message pops up on the ECHO page as verification the complaint as been sent to the carrier. 9/24/2019

In addition, the analyst also receives an email message, with attachment, confirming document sent, date, time, etc. See next slide. 9/24/2019

So, should the carrier advise… So, should the carrier advise….”we didn’t receive that complaint,” the analyst has the confirmation of date, time and to whom sent. 9/24/2019

That confirmation information is also added to the imaged file for historical reference. 9/24/2019

What the Company sees and how it responds Now you will see the complaint from the carrier’s side… Jeff Steen is Director of Information Technology for the Nationwide Companies. Jeff,…….. 9/24/2019

What the Department receives back from the carrier The Company responds to the complaint via the secured transmission The Department saves this information electronically in an imaged file 9/24/2019

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Disregard the top portion in gray Disregard the top portion in gray. The original message begins “From the Webmaster…” That message is automatically generated and sent to the analyst when the carrier logs in on their side, uploads the response and sends. The analyst reviews and determines if anything further is needed. If nothing, a closing letter is prepared and all is sent to the consumer, which could go back via email if the consumer If the consumer so advised, all could be emailed back to the consumer. 9/24/2019

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What This Means ECHO makes the consumer complaint information exchange automatic and instantaneous. Easily accessible, secure information is exchanged between Department and company through an Internet-based system to resolve the complaint. This saves time and money for both companies and regulators. 123 companies are now using ECHO! 9/24/2019

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