State Health Plan ousts longtime insurer Blue Cross NC, signs new contract with Aetna [The Charlotte Observer]

Aetna will replace Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Carolina as the insurer for the state’s health plan, State Treasurer Dale Folwell announced Wednesday.

The health plan, which covers nearly 740,000 teachers, state employees, retirees and their dependents, has used Blue Cross NC as its third-party insurer for more than 40 years. The State Health Plan Board awarded the new contract to Aetna after its proposed health plan promised lower costs and more transparency.

A spokesperson for Blue Cross NC said the company will appeal the decision and will request public records to learn more about the decision.

“We are deeply disappointed by the State Health Plan’s decision last month,” a statement from the insurer read. “This is a consequential decision that will impact more than 580,000 State Health Plan members and threatens North Carolina jobs.”

Folwell said the state will save an estimated $140 million throughout the course of the three-year contract, which begins in January 2025. Folwell said he spoke with leaders of Blue Cross NC who assured him they will “finish strong” in the remaining two years of their contract with the state.

Ardis Watkins, executive director of the State Employees Association of North Carolina, said reducing health care costs is essential to make coverage more affordable to state employees.

“It has been our experience that the Plan’s leadership has the interests of state employees and retirees at heart,” Watkins said in a statement.

State employees insured by the plan will begin receiving information about the transition in 2024.

“A change of this magnitude is a great opportunity for a fresh perspective,” Folwell said in a statement.

What NC teachers, state employees, retirees need to know about the health insurance change.

Teddy Rosenbluth covers science and healthcare for The News & Observer in a position funded by Duke Health and the Burroughs Wellcome Fund. The N&O maintains full editorial control of the work.

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