SEANC defends its ad claim

SEANC is defending its radio ad.

Kevin LeCount, an organizer for the State Employees Association of North Carolina, said that its description of Blue Cross Blue Shield's profits was accurate.

The ad says that Blue Cross "made $180 million in profits-including money from a no-bid contract to administer our State Health Plan" — adding that's "not bad for a 'nonprofit.'"

This morning, a Blue Cross official took exception, saying that the company's profit margin on the contract was closer to $478,000.

But LeCount said he has no way to verify that figure. 

"The distinction is that we stated that their total profits are $180 million INCLUDING money from the no-bid contract," he wrote in an e-mail to Dome (all-caps his). "We have no idea what their true profits are from their administering of the health plan since they won't open up the entire contract for public inspection."