HAMILTON — Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield has found out how much money it takes for its problems in Hamilton to go away: $1.5 million.

The insurance carrier reached a lawsuit settlement with Hamilton’s Board of Education for that amount earlier this year, which also let several other players in the case off the hook. That information was obtained through an Open Public Records Act request made by local activist and Assembly candidate Steve Cook.

Cook said the board should try to have the agreement nullified and actually file suit, saying the insurer is “knee-deep in liability.” He said the school district could have saved $20 million going back to 2006, the extent of time the settlement covers, by going with the cheaper, state-run insurance plan, according to an analysis from the Citizens Campaign, a government reform group of which Cook is a member.

“Imagine a client being told by their attorney that their client is entitled to $10,000 for a car accident but you should settle for $250 so we don’t have to file charges,” said Cook. “That is what happened to Hamilton taxpayers.”

You can read the full story here.