Georgia defends decision to cut out Blue Cross

The Georgia Department of Community Health has denied allegations by Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Georgia that state officials failed to follow established rules in deciding to reduce the number of insurers that cover nearly 700,000 teachers and other state employees and their dependents. The state eliminated Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Georgia as an insurance provider, along with Kaiser. Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Georgia said that the department's decision to reduce insurer options to Cigna and United Healthcare illegally cut out Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Georgia and Kaiser. DCH spokeswoman Matia Edwards denied the claim, saying the decision to reduce the number of insurance provider options would save the state plan more than $700 million over five years.