
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: FRIDAY, July 22, 1994                   TAG: 9407220142
SECTION: VIRGINIA                    PAGE: B-3   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: Associated Press
DATELINE: RICHMOND                                LENGTH: Short

TRIGON PROBE EXPANDS TO D.C. AFFILIATE

Virginia's investigation of the state's largest health insurer for alleged illegal practices has been expanded to study the same procedures at the Washington area's Blue Cross Blue Shield, officials said Thursday.

Virginia Insurance Commissioner Steven T. Foster said a review of copayment practices and disclosures is part of a study of the Washington plan the insurance bureau has begun.

Blue Cross and Blue Shield of the National Capital Area has 812,000 members in Virginia, Maryland and the District of Columbia.

Preliminary findings of a state Bureau of Insurance review of Richmond-based Trigon Blue Cross Blue Shield have uncovered what authorities say are thousands of violations of state insurance law.

At issue in the Trigon investigation is a practice of not adjusting consumers' copayments to reflect discounts the insurer negotiated with hospitals.

Washington Blue Cross spokeswoman Kathleen Milanich said she did not believe Virginia regulators would find many problems.

by CNB