by: Chad Terhune
LA Times
Health insurance giant Blue Shield of California is facing more questions over its loss of tax-exempt status as it tries to win state approval of a $1.2-billion acquisition..
A former Blue Shield executive is accusing the San Francisco insurer of giving contradictory answers to state officials about its corporate structure. And consumer advocates are calling on Blue Shield to disclose details of a state audit that examined the company’s taxpayer subsidy.
These issues are likely to dominate a hearing Monday in Sacramento held by the California Department of Managed Health Care.
Regulators will hear from Blue Shield and the public about the company’s plans to spend about a quarter of its $4.2 billion in financial reserves to acquire Care1st, a Medicaid insurer based in Monterey Park.