State Comptroller Nancy Wyman today expressed outrage over a decision by the Insurance Department denying her party status in the Blue Cross/Blue Shield - Anthem merger.

"I procure health care insurance through Blue Cross for 165,000 state employees, retirees, and dependents," said Wyman. "This merger has the potential to dramatically affect the cost of providing that health care."

Wyman noted that the Insurance Department has broad authority to grant the Comptroller party status, but inexplicably chose not to do so. "Although we applied for the most appropriate status, the Department chose, instead, to link arms with the insurance industry and stifle any dissenting viewpoints," said Wyman.

"The action of the Department today makes clear that the concerns of the 165,000 state employees and retirees covered by Blue Cross/Blue Shield and the 3.2 million Connecticut residents who gave this company massive tax breaks over the past fifty years will not be addressed," Wyman added.

(Editors Note: Comptroller Wyman will be available for questions at 3:30 today outside the 4th floor Capitol press room.)

For Immediate Release
June 23, 1997
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