(a) The Office of the Healthcare Advocate shall be under the direction of the Healthcare Advocate who shall be appointed by the Governor, with the approval of the General Assembly. The Healthcare Advocate shall be an elector of the state with expertise and experience in the fields of health care, health insurance and advocacy for the rights of consumers, provided the Healthcare Advocate shall not have served as a director or officer of a managed care organization within two years of appointment. In addition to the Healthcare Advocate, the Office of the Healthcare Advocate shall consist of a staff of not more than three persons, which staff may be increased as the requirements and resources of the office permit.

(b) The Governor shall make the initial appointment of the Healthcare Advocate from a list of candidates prepared and submitted, not later than June 1, 2000, to the Governor by the advisory committee established pursuant to section 38a-1049. The Governor shall notify the advisory committee of the pending expiration of the term of an incumbent Healthcare Advocate not less than ninety days prior to the final day of the Healthcare Advocate's term in office. If a vacancy occurs in the position of Healthcare Advocate, the Governor shall notify the advisory committee immediately of the vacancy. The advisory committee shall meet to consider qualified candidates for the position of Healthcare Advocate and shall submit a list of not more than five candidates to the Governor ranked in order of preference, not more than sixty days after receiving notice from the Governor of the pending expiration of the Healthcare Advocate's term or the occurrence of a vacancy. The Governor shall designate, not more than sixty days after receipt of the list of candidates from the advisory committee, one candidate from the list for the position of Healthcare Advocate. If, after the list is submitted to the Governor by the advisory committee, any candidate withdraws from consideration, the Governor shall designate a candidate from those remaining on the list. If the Governor fails to designate a candidate within sixty days of receipt of the list from the advisory committee, the advisory committee shall refer the candidate with the highest ranking on the list to the General Assembly for confirmation. If the General Assembly is not in session at the time of the Governor's or advisory committee's designation of a candidate, the candidate shall serve as the acting Healthcare Advocate until the General Assembly meets and confirms the candidate as Healthcare Advocate. A candidate serving as acting Healthcare Advocate is entitled to compensation and has all the powers, duties and privileges of the Healthcare Advocate. A Healthcare Advocate shall serve a term of four years, not including any time served as acting Healthcare Advocate, and may be reappointed by the Governor or shall remain in the position until a successor is confirmed. Although an incumbent Healthcare Advocate may be reappointed, the Governor shall also consider additional candidates from a list submitted by the advisory committee as provided in this section.

(c) Upon a vacancy in the position of the Healthcare Advocate, the most senior attorney in the Office of the Healthcare Advocate shall serve as the acting Healthcare Advocate until the vacancy is filled pursuant to subsection (a) or (b) of this section. The acting Healthcare Advocate has all the powers, duties and privileges of the Healthcare Advocate.

(P.A. 99-284, S. 3; P.A. 05-102, S. 9.)

History: P.A. 05-102 renamed the Office of Managed Care Ombudsman the Office of the Healthcare Advocate and made conforming changes.