Blue Cross objects to hospital transparency data dump

North Carolina is nearing a deadline to post a wide range of hospital procedure cost information, but right at the finish line, the state's largest insurer has issued an objection, saying the information – in this form at least – should not be released. Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina asks that state health officials hold off on disclosing thousands of bits of hospital claims data, arguing it would divulge Blue Cross trade secrets and not provide useful data to consumers. In 2013, the N.C. General Assembly passed a health care transparency bill that requires hospitals to report to the state what they are paid for the 100 most frequently reported admissions by DRG – Diagnosis Related Group, how hospitals categorize care.