Blue Cross Blue Shield Forced to Repay $700,000 to Montanans [AUDIO]

Montanans who were overcharged by Blue Cross Blue Shield have been reimbursed over $700,000 so far, and the company has been fined by the state Office of Securities and Insurance.

State Insurance Commissioner Monica Lindeen said on Friday that the company was forced to reimburse customers who purchased one specific kind of policy.

"There was a policy that they were selling that a customer complained to our office about," Lindeen said. "The company said that this policy in some cases required no co-pay or deductible for certain professional services such as physical therapy. However, the customers who received those services were actually being charged a pretty sizable deductible and co-pay."

Lindeen said an investigation showed that the company was indeed overcharging their customers thousands of dollars.

"The company had actually filed for a change in that policy with my office, asking to change that particular part of the policy, and we hadn't approved it yet," Lindeen said. "However, the company moved ahead as if the change had already been approved."

Lindeen said her office notified the company of the violation.

"They were fined $5,000 and they were forced to reimburse all the Montanans who had been affected by this particular deductible being wrongly paid," Lindeen said. "So far, they've paid back more than $700,000, and we think that there may be more depending on how many claims are made by the time that policy runs out."

Only those customers who were insured under the 'Blue Dimensions' plans sold to small businesses were overcharged and will be receiving reimbursements. Anyone who believes they may have been overcharged should contact the office of Securities and Insurance at 1-800-332-6148.

Montana Commissioner of Securities and Insurance Monica Lindeen