The Ohio Blue Cross conversion: building an opposition.
In March, state insurance regulators rejected the bid of Blue Cross of Ohio to sell the business to Columbia/HCA, saying it would not be in the public interest.  The decision came as a shock to those who assumed the transaction would get pro forma approval.  The fact that it received press, public, and regulatory attention is due largely to the efforts of a coalition of consumer interests, supported by Community Catalyst. This issue of States of Health outlines how Community Catalyst and other groups successfully focused and strengthened opposition to a deal that disposed of public assets without public participation or representation.
D054598:Blue Cross Blue Shield Insurance Plans; D003256:Community Participation; D006273:Health Facility Merger / Q000458:organization & administration*; D006777:Hospitals, Proprietary / Q000458:organization & administration; D006801:Humans; D007343:Insurance Carriers; D019458:Insurance Coverage; D009096:Multi-Institutional Systems / Q000458:organization & administration*; D009820:Ohio; D014481:United States