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State Health Plan ditches Aetna, sends business back to Blue Cross
WRAL • • nation
Key Points:
- Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Carolina will resume management of the State Health Plan and a separate pharmaceutical benefits contract starting in 2028, reversing the 2023 decision to shift management to Aetna.
- The change was approved by the health plan board and supported by Republican State Treasurer Brad Briner, who oversees the plan and expressed a preference for a contract aligned with his administration's priorities.
- Aetna, which had been awarded the contract in 2023 amid legal battles, maintains it is the strongest partner for the plan and is reviewing the decision to return management to Blue Cross.
- The switch back to Blue Cross may impact health plan member costs, covered services, and in-network providers.
- The 2023 transition to Aetna was contentious and could foreshadow potential legal challenges following the decision to revert to Blue Cross.
