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A couple weeks ago, I wrote about Rep. Pricey Harrison asking N.C. Attorney General Roy Cooper to investigate Blue Cross Blue Shield for its political-style activities. Now 20 lawmakers are asking the AG if the insurer stepped over the line in advocating against a federal health care bill. In addition to Harrison, Guilford County lawmakers to sign on include Rep. Alma Adams, Sen. Katie Dorsett and Sen. Stan Bingham.

From the earlier story:

The Greensboro Democrat wants to know whether the insurer violated the state’s do-not-call registry law with an automated message in late October. And she questions whether it is proper for the insurer to use its premiums to pay for the calls and two recent pieces of direct mail.

“I have heard from a number of constituents who were really upset about the postcard campaign,” Harrison said Thursday. “There are a lot of angry taxpayers, policyholders and state employees.”

Click here for the story.
Click here for a blog post with attachments.

The new letter is essentially the same as the one Harrison sent, with a few tweaks that give a nod to the insurer’s free speech rights. You can click here to read it.

In the wake of my first story, I got questions (also a Letter to the Editor) that said, hey, isn’t BCBS in the clear if they have a prior business relationship with the people they were calling? Yes, but not all the letters went to BCBS customers. Names were drawn from voter rolls.

Update: Here's the Associated Press' early take on the story: 

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) - Some North Carolina lawmakers are questioning political advocacy by Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina.

Twenty state legislators on Tuesday asked Attorney General Roy Cooper and Insurance Commissioner Wayne Goodwin to examine automated phone calls and mailers from the state's largest health insurer.

The material asked citizens to contact Sen. Kay Hagan to ask that she oppose the creation of a government-run health insurance plan that would compete with private plans.

The state lawmakers think the insurer violated rules on automated calls and questions Blue Cross' advocacy, given it had a tax-preferred status for decades.

A Blue Cross spokesman didn't immediately respond to the letter but said earlier that company leaders think they should be part of the health care discussion.