NY -- Standard&Poor's CreditWire 1/28/97 -- Standard&Poor's today has affirmed its single-`A'-plus claims-paying ability rating on Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Dakota. Major rating factors include: -- A dominant market position as the largest insurer in the state, with 70% of total enrollment. The insurer writes 50 times more health premium policies ($447 million) than its nearest competitor, Combined Insurance Co. of America. This dominant position gives it the ability to negotiate discounts with 99% of the physicians and 100% of the hospitals in the state. -- Standard&Poor's considers Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Dakota's capitalization to be good on a risk-adjusted basis. As measured by Standard&Poor's capital allocation model,
