North Dakota health insurers by reported claim denial rate
3 marketplace issuers in North Dakota reported 120,224 denials on 1,081,008 in-network claims from 2023 (pooled rate 11.1%). The median rate among the 3 ranked issuers is 14.7%, against a national median of 18.3% across 32 HealthCare.gov states. Of 305 internal appeals filed, 48.5% were overturned.
All issuers reporting in North Dakota, plan year 2025 file
| # | Issuer | Claims received | Denied | Denial rate | Appeals filed | Overturned |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Medica Health Plans | 53,942 | 10,572 | 19.6% | 29 | 48.3% |
| 2 | Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Dakota | 606,207 | 89,205 | 14.7% | 141 | 34.0% |
| 3 | Sanford Health Plan | 420,859 | 20,447 | 4.9% | 135 | 63.7% |
Sorted by reported in-network denial rate. Rank is shown only for issuers with at least 1,000 in-network claims received; smaller issuers are listed without a rank. Source: CMS Transparency in Coverage PUF.
- Reporting lag: the CMS public-use file for a plan year reports claims from two plan years earlier (the PY2025 file carries 2023 claims). These are not this year's figures.
- In-network only: the denial rate is in-network claims denied divided by in-network claims received. Out-of-network claims are shown separately where the issuer reported them.
- "Denied" is broad: CMS counts every denial, including administrative denials, duplicate submissions, ineligibility, incorrect billing and partial denials, not only medical-necessity decisions.
- Issuer level: CMS reports the counts once per issuer per state and repeats them on every plan row; plan-level counts, where present, list denials only, so no per-plan rate is computed.
- Coverage: only issuers on the federally facilitated marketplace (HealthCare.gov states) report to this file. Employer plans, Medicare and Medicaid are not included.
- No inference of intent: a higher rate can reflect the issuer's mix of claims, its billing rules or its membership as much as its coverage decisions. Compare with the state median and read the N.
Source: CMS Transparency in Coverage Public Use File (Health Insurance Exchange PUFs) · data dictionary.
Denied in North Dakota? What to do
- North Dakota appeal rights and regulator →
- Appeal deadline calculator →
- Have Apellica prepare the appeal ($0 upfront) →
Questions
Which North Dakota marketplace insurer reported the highest claim denial rate?
Among issuers with at least 1,000 in-network claims, Medica Health Plans reported the highest rate in the plan year 2025 file: 19.6% (10,572 of 53,942 claims from 2023). The North Dakota median is 14.7%. A high rate can reflect claim mix and billing rules as much as coverage decisions.
Does a lower denial rate mean a better plan?
Not by itself. Rates include administrative denials and depend on the issuer's membership and claim mix. Use the rate alongside network, premium, formulary and the appeal overturn rate, and read the caveats.
Where does this data come from?
The CMS Transparency in Coverage public use file for plan year 2025, which reports each issuer's 2023 in-network claims received and denied, internal appeals and external reviews for plans sold on HealthCare.gov. Apellica removed stand-alone dental issuers and computed nothing beyond the reported counts.
How do I appeal a denial in North Dakota?
File an internal appeal within the deadline on your letter (at least 180 days on marketplace plans), request the plan's criteria and claim file in writing, then use North Dakota's external review if the plan upholds the denial. The regulator is North Dakota Insurance Department.
Download the full table as CSV · methodology · CC BY 4.0.