After reading the Jan. 19th story about 10,000 Blue Cross Blue Shield members not receiving a required "welcome kit," I couldn't help but wonder why Insurance Commissioner Jon Godfread is not actively holding them accountable?
It's no surprise to see Blue Cross once again fail to meet standards set by insurance regulators, but why is the insurance commissioner elected by North Dakota residents not holding them accountable for their negligence? Why is he not telling the largest health insurance company in North Dakota to stop falling short for the people they are serving? Then I remembered another Forum story announcing Blue Cross had hired a new vice president , Jeff Ubben, who was Godfread's No. 2.
Blue Cross has clearly dropped the ball, a big one at that, but now the 10,000 or more people affected will go to the doctor not clearly knowing their health insurance plans and unknowingly pay excess health care costs.
Is Blue Cross going to send each missed member their required welcome kit? Are they going to back pay a denied operations? Or, is Blue Cross shaking hands with the commissioner while feeding his back pockets?
