Blue Cross Mails Refund Forms to Federal Workers
More than 1.4 million federal employees and retirees on Wednesday were mailed applications for health insurance refunds totaling $270 million from the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Assn.
Four semi-trailers hauled the applications to the local post office, and Postmaster John R. Cochran said the mail should be delivered in the Washington area today and nationwide by Saturday.
Most subscribers to the health insurance plan--the federal government’s largest for civilian employees--will receive refunds on their 1985 premiums ranging from $69 to $354, depending on the type of insurance they hold.
Postal Service workers will get refunds ranging from $17 to $284 because their employer pays a larger share of their insurance premiums.
Blue Cross and Blue Shield on Monday refunded $475 million to the federal government, which pays an average of 61% of the premiums, said James N. Gillman, Blue Cross and Blue Shield vice president.
The refunds were made possible because subscribers used fewer medical services than anticipated and avoided costly hospital stays by seeking treatment as outpatients, he said.
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