For more than eight years, a female policyholder of Regence BlueShield insurance could go to the doctor and get an intrauterine contraceptive device (IUD) inserted for a normal co-payment. Getting the device removed, however, that was another story.State Insurance Commissioner Mike Kreidler announced this week that Regence BlueShield of Washington has been fined $100,000 and forced to pay a total of $148,740.37 in claims to 984 women who were denied coverage after they had IUD devices removed.BlueShield’s practices violated Washington State law in several ways, Commissioner Kreidler found–including a specific law that expressly forbids covering a medical device’s insertion, but not its removal.Kriedler also wrote that the company violated a provision that prevents coverage differences on the basis of gender.It is an unfair practice for any health carrier to restrict, exclude, or reduce coverage or benefits under any health plan on the basis of sex. Adding special requirements for the removal of IUDs restricts, excludes or reduces coverage on the basis of sex.The denials took place from Jan. 1, 2002 through May 25, 2010. Ladies who were affected should be seeing checks in the mail soon, if they haven’t already.