State to get $2.35M refund from Blue Cross

Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Montana is set to refund about $2.35 million to the state after an internal audit of the state's Health Care and Benefits Division found that Montana has overpaid the insurer to administer parts of its health insurance plan since 2002. Division administrator Connie Welsh said this week the overpayment was discovered during an investigation spurred by the Gov. Brian Schweitzer's request for additional cost savings and efficiencies. The money will not be refunded to policyholders, but will be deposited in the employee group benefits fund, from which claims are pa...