North Dakota’s Insurance Department has begun a market conduct examination of Blue Cross-Blue Shield of North Dakota.
"I use the term loosely -- kinda looking under the hood, a little bit," said state Insurance Commissioner Jon Godfread.
Godfread says if you look across the country, most major insurance companies get examined every three to five years.
"This isn't anything out of the ordinary," Godfread said. "It's one of my duties as Insurance Commissioner to ensure that our consumers are getting the services they're being promised."
One of the focuses of the exam will be to look and see that addiction and behavioral health services are being covered appropriately. Godfread said that's important, in the face of the opioid and addiction crisis.
Godfread also said Blue Cross has promised full cooperation.
"I hope it doesn't turn adversarial," Godfread said. "There has been some history of a push-and-pull between the Department and the Blues. But the Blues said they will cooperate."
The examination could take six to eight months to complete.
