Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina is seeking to lower its rates for health insurance.
The company is North Carolina's largest health insurer. After six years, company officials say they've figured out how to make money selling subsidized policies under the Affordable Care Act.
As a result, Blue Cross wants to cut average premiums by more than 5 percent for individuals and 3 percent for small businesses. They're seeking regulatory permission to set the lower rates for 2020.
The company also cut prices earlier this year on individual plans offered under the federal "Obamacare" law.
Blue Cross said it's achieving savings by switching from the years-old model of paying for each medical procedure to one which pays doctors and hospitals set amounts for treatment.
The insurer says it's also emphasizing primary care in order to lower costs, for example by covering three visits per year at no cost.
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