GEORGIA (WRBL) - On Tuesday, Georgia's Insurance and Safety Fire Commissioner imposed a $5 million fine on Blue Cross Blue Shield.
According to a news release from the agency, the fine was issued following a months long examination into violations of state laws and agency rules and regulations by Blue Cross Blue Shield.
Insurance Commissioner John F. King's said his top priority is protecting Georgia's consumers.
“After numerous complaints made to our office regarding the operations of Blue Cross Blue Shield from individuals, physicians, hospitals, and others from around the state, I instructed my staff to conduct an extensive examination into the carrier’s practices,” said King.
King said the investigation uncovered, "a number of serious issues, including improper claims settlement practices, violations of the Prompt Pay Act, failure to reply to consumer complaints in a timely manner, inaccurate provider directories, and significant delays in loading provider contracts."
The $5 million fine is the largest in the history of the agency, according to King.
Blue Cross Blue Shield may also face significant additional fines. According to the news release, to avoid additional penalties, the company must develop a new process for handling regulatory provider complaints, pay claims within the timeframes established under state law, and load provider contracts in a timely manner.
When contacted for comment, Blue Cross Blue Shield issued the following statement:
"Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield strives to process and pay claims as quickly and efficiently as possible in accordance with provider agreements and applicable state laws and regulations. We have since migrated to a new platform with the goal of improving accuracy and transparency."
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