Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina, the state's largest health insurer, will lay off 80 to 90 people as part of its corporate strategy to cut operating costs.
The nonprofit company said it'll outsource some data entry work to the Philippines and to a contracting firm in North Carolina. The in-house jobs will be eliminated by May 2011, and the laid-off workers will receive severance pay and health benefits for a period of time.
Blue Cross said the move will save $1.6 million to $2.1 million a year. The company, which insures 3.7 million people and employs more than 4,000, plans to reduce its overall operating costs by 20 percent by 2014.
John Murawski has been a full-time newspaper reporter since 1991, with stints at Legal Times and The Chronicle of Philanthropy (both in Washington, DC), The Philadelphia Inquirer and The Palm Beach Post (in South Florida) before arriving at the N&O in December 2004. At the N&O he covers energy (nuclear, coal, renewable, efficiency), hydralic fracturing (or "fracking"), public utilities (both electric and natural gas) and health care. His beat includes Progress Energy, PSNC Energy, Piedmont Natural Gas, PowerSecure International, GlaxoSmithKline, Merck, Novo Nordisk, Pfizer, Biogen Idec and others. You can reach him at 919-829-8932 or
Comments
Insurance is out of control
Thu, 08/12/2010 - 17:50 — BigMonsterI just had major back spine surgery. I am a cybord. I have titanium plates, screws, and rods in my back.
I have United Heaklth Care (UHC). I prefer BCBSNC. Wait till you get your w2's next year. You health benefits paid by your employer are now earned income. From the IRS.
The total bills where $250,000. But UHC negiated the prices down. For example, REX Hospital bill me for $172,000. UHC negiated it down to $72,000.
So why don;t they bill what the insurance company will negiate down to??? Health Insurance Policies have max yearly caps. My coverage is 80/20. My cap is $5000. So that is what I will pay.
So review your insurance. I checked into aflac also.
Once I am all healed up, I will probably get one of aflac's policies. They have about 6 different plans.
Do you research.
Great move, BCBS !
Thu, 08/12/2010 - 15:24 — ProwlingWoofieIn a magnanimous gesture toward controlling its out-of-control operating expenses, BCBS decided to eliminate 80-90 of its LOWEST PAID EMPLOYEES (average = $23K/yr), instead of whacking 80-90 of its duplicitous upper management folks making high 6-figure salaries.
This move will undoubtably slow down the important work of BCBS, which is processing claims for its clients, and lead to more rate increases for its already-financially-strapped clientele.
Terrific work, BCBS ! So glad I'm a former client !
BCBS Layoff
Thu, 08/12/2010 - 16:56 — jpasinjaypeaBoy what jerks these people are! Thank heaven I don't have to deal with them, my husband is a retired Federal Government employee, and we very proudly and very happily have the so called "public option" that North Carolinians screamed they DID NOT WANT!
Well, you got what you wanted - higher costs, and now - less service, and I hope this makes you happy. Instead of having to cut their profit margin to 15% - they are raising it higher by laying off those who can least afford it. If they had cut just two or three executives, they could probably have done just as well or better.
Thumbs down to "THE WORLD'S WORST INSURANCE COMPANY"!
Jpasinjaypea, it must be
Thu, 08/12/2010 - 20:51 — ncsukvnJpasinjaypea, it must be nice to have the "public option." Most people in this state are too stupid and ignorant to have a clue and don't get it. They don't have a clue what socialism is and I could promise you that a majority of folks that have the option for a government plan aren't screaming about socialism. I'm a student and was recently doing an individual monthly plan with BCBS and I cancelled it to enroll in the slightly cheaper plan offered to NCSU students. After all, I'm being forced by the UNC system to purchase insruance and might as well go with the cheapest option. Maybe there will be a public option one day if the American populace wakes up, but I'm not counting on it. If I was still being forced by the UNC system to purchase health insurance, I'd go straight to the public option now if there was one...But out of curiosity, how is it having an option other than for-profit insurance plans and "non-profit-but-still-rip-you-off" plans like BCBS?