Blue Cross payment delays hurts NC physicians: 5 quick facts

Continued technology issues at Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina have resulted in stalled payments to some physicians, who said it has been several months since they received reimbursement from the insurer, reports News Observer.

Below are five things to know about BCBS NC's continued technology headaches.

1. About 90 providers complained to the state department of insurance this month about Blue Cross payment delays. One of those providers, Chapel Hill (N.C.) Pediatrics, said it is owed $89,000 for 381 backlogged claims. Village Pediatrics, also in Chapel Hill, told the agency it is owed $53,000 for more than 135 unpaid claims.

2. In an email to News Observer, an insurance department spokesperson said many of the complaints they have received come from small practices or independent physicians who heavily rely on timely insurance payments to continue functioning.

3. All of the complaints reported to the insurance department involve Blue Cross members with individual insurance plans, often purchased through the Affordable Care Act's federal exchange.  

4. Blue Cross spokesperson Ryan Vulcan told News Observer about 15 percent of total insurance claims have been delayed due to "configuration issues".

5. BCBS NC told employees last week that Stevie McNeal, who led the effort to transition more than 400,000 Blue Cross members to a new technology system called Topaz, will leave the organization July 1.  Topaz crashed in January.

Copyright © 2024 Becker's Healthcare. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy. Cookie Policy. Linking and Reprinting Policy.

 

Top 40 articles from the past 6 months