Associated Press

North Dakota's insurance commissioner says he's rejected a 14.8 percent rate increase request from Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Dakota for individual policies.

In a statement, Hamm says Blue Cross Blue Shield did not provide complete information to substantiate its request.

His statement also says the Blues "misled the Insurance Department concerning payments to health care providers, and stonewalled the department when it sought information."

Hamm says about 30,000 North Dakotans are covered through individual Blues policies. He says the 14.8 percent raise would have cost policyholders a total of about $11 million over the next year.