State upholds award of teacher, employees health plan to Blue Cross

The high-priced battle over providing health care to about 650,000 state teachers, employees, retirees and their families will apparently be decided in the courts.

Department of Community Health Commissioner Clyde Reese on Thursday upheld his agency’s decision to award the contract to Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Georgia. The company has already been enrolling teachers, employees and retirees for the upcoming year.

UnitedHealthcare, one of the current providers, filed a protest, asking Reese to overturn the decision. UnitedHealthcare claimed state officials rigged the bids to make sure Blue Cross got the lucrative business. And it argued that making Blue Cross the sole provider would mean higher premiums and more out-of-pocket expenses for teachers, employees and retirees.