Judges in a Northwestern state say the top insurance regulator there had the authority to block efforts by a nonprofit health plan to shift to for-profit status.
The 3 members of a Washington state appellate court panel agreed unanimously to uphold a July 2004 ruling by state Insurance Commissioner Michael Kreidler.
In 2004, Kreidler said he believed the proposed Premera conversion would hurt subscribers and the insurance-buying public.
