Insurance Commissioner Wayne Goodwin wants to remind North Carolinians that starting this week, approximately 215,000 Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina individual policyholders will begin receiving refund checks worth a combined $155.8 million. Pursuant to the September agreement reached with Insurance Commissioner Wayne Goodwin and the Department of Insurance, BCBSNC mailed the first batch of refund checks on November 29 to approximately 50,000 policyholders, and the remainder will be mailed no later than December 8.
"With folks preparing for the year-end holidays and taking care of expenses, I know these refunds will help families across North Carolina,” said Commissioner Goodwin. “I'm pleased that my staff and I were able to work with Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina to get this money back into the hands of thousands and thousands of our citizens."The refunds will be issued to policyholders who had Blue Advantage or Blue Options HSA for Individuals policies in force as of March 23, 2010, the date the federal Affordable Care Act was enacted. Customers may receive lower or higher amounts depending on their specific premium rate, but an average policyholder with a monthly premium of about $380 will receive approximately $690.
The new rating and grandfathering rules in the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act create a one-time circumstance enabling these refunds. The funds come from active life reserves, which are portions of the premium set aside in the early years of a policy to pay future claims and keep rates stable as customers' medical expenses rise during the life of the policy. However, policies purchased or substantially modified after March 23 of this year will end in 2014 under the new health care reform law, which is when the new products under health reform will be introduced. Therefore, the reserves held for these products will cover a much shorter period of time, allowing for these funds to be released.
Consumers with questions about the refunds, including whether they are eligible to receive a refund, should call BCBSNC's dedicated customer refund line, 1-877-784-2375.
Other insurance premium refunds that Commissioner Goodwin has announced include more than $50 million stemming from the 2009 auto rate settlement; Commissioner Goodwin has also announced potential rate savings for auto and workers compensation policyholders totaling approximately $673 million since 2009.
"I'm very pleased that consumers - North Carolina families and small businesses - have benefited so much by the insurance refunds and rate cuts of more than $800 Million announced during my first two years in office," said Goodwin.
Whether during the holidays or not, these monies are certainly an economic stimulus package for North Carolina, courtesy of the dedicated work by your Insurance Commissioner's team.
23 comments:
NC Insurance Commissioner = Santa Claus?
Well, they are never seen in the same place at the same time. Hmmm ... You know, like Clark Kent and Superman. Nah, fuhgeddaboutit.
Of course, unlike with Santa Claus, you may still receive a refund check whether you've been naughty or nice this year.
Commissioner and YDNC President Emeritus Goodwin,
You are the man! Keep winning for the citizens of our state.
Thanks,
Conen Morgan
I got my check already - and more than I expected. Thanks for the good work on behalf of NC's insurance company customers!
Chris Telesca
Hi Wayne, I got my check today. $1300.00. WOW!! This is wonderful. Thanks for all of the hard work. I hope you have a Merry Christmas!!! :)
Terry Cockman Bland
Through the grapevine I heard that someone erroneously and anonymously claims that NC Insurance Commissioner Wayne Goodwin had nothing to do with the BCBSNC refunds and that they "just happened", and that the refunds would have happened as they did anyway without his involvement. The truthful retort to that is "HOGWASH!"
In fact, for anyone who has even harbored such an incorrect thought, you may want to keep in mind:
News reports indicate that Commissioner Goodwin's Department experts FOUND the excess reserves paid by policyholders and reported it to BCBS.
Goodwin and his staff experts reported to BCBS that the monies, given the change in the law, could no longer be kept in the BCBS reserve and that the monies needed to be returned to policyholders.
I believe, based on comments at the September press conference reported in the news/Internet and other public comments, that BCBS could have tried to use the funds for things other than refunds to consumers but, instead, in cooperation and positive partnership with Commissioner Goodwin, and with his encouragement, agreed to refund ALL of the money instead of none or part of it. (BCBS has been and should continue to be lauded for that proper decision!)
Had BCBS not done agreed with the Department of Insurance and Commissioner Goodwin, then I imagine that Commissioner Goodwin would have felt no choice but to call for a public hearing and/or file a lawsuit on the $150 million matter against BCBS. (It would have made for quite interesting litigation, and could have dragged on for years in the courts, which ultimately would have meant years would have passed without 215,000+ NC families having these refunds.)
And, based on public statements and other knowledgeable sources, Commissioner Goodwin insisted that the refunds had to happen as soon as possible; in fact, he respectfully insisted that these refunds had to be paid to all 215,000+ policyholder/families no later than Christmas 2010, specifically mid-December. (Hence, the Santa Claus reference by the first commenter on the blog post thread??)
And - based on Statewide news reports from about 10 days ago or so - Brad Wilson, CEO of Blue Cross Blue Shield NC, gave specific shared attribution to and shared kudos for the positive refund results to NC Insurance Commissioner Wayne Goodwin in the cover letter accompanying the checks to 215,000+ policyholder families. That "tip of the hat" was in addition to the acknowledgement Wilson gave to Goodwin back in September when the announcement was made, and in various news accounts since.
All of the above should rightly correct anyone who wrongly asserts Goodwin and the Department had no role in these historic refunds.
I got mine today. Thank you Mr. Commissioner.
Got mine!
Received mine today........Thanks for your hard work.
Got ours today. It was great
I have gotten mine! Thank you.
Got it yesterday.thanks
Our check came yesterday and we were surprised and grateful! Thank you for your hard work on behalf of NC consumers Commissioner!
Mine came in Wed.... couldn't came at a better time.....thanks for the hard work !!!!
We Got our this past week!!! We were very grateful for it. Thank you for your work on this. It is great that those of us who are paying for insurance instead of depending on a Government program are getting a little bit back!
Yes, we got ours today. Thanks for all your help.
Wayne,
You are the man! Although this doesn't affect State workers, it comes at a time many of our fine NC citizens could use the money. Thanks for your hard work for NC!!!
I pray that your family has a wonderful Christmas! Dennis
Thanks Wayne I got my check.
4 ppl in my family have! :)
My parents got their refund last week. Thanks for your work on this.
Got mine . Please friend me. Bob Godfrey
Howdy, Wayne, thanks for that Blue Cross ck I got this week! Lol
OMg!!!!! You would not believe the check we got. Looks like Christmas will come to our house this year, that or pay the electric bill. With all my heart, Wayne, Thank you!
I did Wayne and I can't tell you how much I appreciate all you do for us every day! Thank you.
Post a Comment