State to decide if calls are okay

The N.C. Department of Justice is trying to determine if the state’s largest insurance company violated state law with automated phone calls opposing federal health care overhaul legislation.

BlueCross BlueShield of North Carolina — which has 3.7 million customers and provides the campus health plan offered at UNC — asked call recipients to tell Democrat U.S. Sen. Kay Hagan to vote against creating a government-run insurance plan.

The government option is included in the legislation up for debate in the U.S. Senate.

State law only allows automated calls in certain circumstances. Calls from insurers to customers are permitted if they provide information related to health care, medication or other benefits.

The justice department began investigating last month after receiving complaints from people who received the calls and were not BCBSNC customers, said department spokeswoman Noelle Talley.

Twenty N.C. legislators sent a letter last week to N.C. Attorney General Roy Cooper and Insurance Commissioner Wayne Goodwin claiming that BCBSNC used robocalls for political purposes.

“These robocalls had nothing to do with providing care to patients, but were instead used to advocate a specific political stance,” the letter stated. “We do not believe that policy holders intended for their relationship with blue cross to be used in this manner.”

Lew Borman, BCBSNC spokesman, said the company — which is a unique nonprofit because it pays taxes — has complied with the attorney general and that the company stopped the calls before the investigation began.

He said BCBSNC has been transparent about efforts to communicate its stance on health legislation.

“We believe we have the right and the responsibility to communicate with North Carolinians and tell them what kind of impact this would have,” Borman said. “If we were not involved, we’d be the only ones not involved.”

N.C. Sen. Ellie Kinnaird, D-Orange, one of 20 lawmakers to sign the letter, said she was concerned because the state health plan is administered by BCBSNC.

“A nonprofit should be working for the common good,” she said. “Are they abusing this public trust?”

BCBSNC is one of two finalists for a plan to be offered on every UNC-system campus next year. BCBSNC and the other finalist, Pearce & Pearce, will present to General Administration next week.

The 20 lawmakers also questioned whether the company violated lobbying laws with other efforts, including a postcard that provided a way to contact Hagan.

Because BCBSNC pays taxes, it follows a different set of lobbying rules than most nonprofits.

The Department of Insurance asked BCBSNC last week to address the complaints but has not received a response, said Kristin Milam, director of public information.



Contact the State & National Editor at stntdesk@unc.edu.