Common Ground Healthcare Security Act of 1999

[AI summary unavailable — showing source text] Common Ground Healthcare Security Act of 1999 - Amends the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA) to establish new procedures and access to courts for grievances arising under group health plans. (Sec. 2) Requires group health plans to: (1) provide written notice to participants or beneficiaries and providers of adverse coverage decisions; and (2) meet specified time limits for responding to routine and emergency benefit payment requests, coverage advance determinations, and medical necessity determinations. Provides for internal and, in certain circumstances, external review of initial coverage decisions. Sets forth permitted alternatives to required internal or external reviews in certain cases. Provides for expedited Federal court review, in an action to obtain appropriate equitable relief, where an appropriate physician certifies that exhaustion of administrative remedies is not reasonably attainable under the facts and circumstances without undue risk of irreparable harm to the health of the participant or beneficiary. (Sec. 3) Provides for availability of court remedies, establishing a cause of action relating to provision of health benefits. Makes a plan's f…