“Providers were not being paid for the services they were providing … (and) the bottom line is
that they have a contractual obligation to do this,”
TRENTON — Gov. Chris Christie‘s battle with Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey to give up $300 million of its reserves to the state intensified Wednesday when the governor vilified the insurer for getting slapped with $16 million in fines from the state over a period of nine months.
In a hastily called news conference, Christie accused Horizon of having “brazenly failed its members” covered by Medicaid and renewed his push for legislation he argued would add more accountability and transparency within the insurer.
The bill would also would also force the insurer to cede some $300 million of its capital reserves to help pay for expanding New Jersey’s addiction treatment services. Horizon has railed against the legislation and likened it to extortion.
But Christie insisted lawmakers get on board with the legislation. He highlighted about $16 million in fines from the state for noncompliance with certain rules, including failing to make timely payments to health care providers.