PROVIDENCE – The departures of four Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Rhode Island senior executives was confirmed today by Kim Keough, the insurer’s assistant vice president of public relations.

Matthew T. Brannigan, Scott A. Fraser, Brian K. Jordan and the recently promoted Lynne A. Urbani “no longer work for Blue Cross as of yesterday,” Keough told Providence Business News in a telephone interview.

When asked whether any link existed between the four departures and the federal government’s ongoing influence-peddling probe known as Operation Dollar Bill, Keough said: “As a company policy we do not discuss the details of the departure of any employee. That’s all I can say.”

“They’re not firings – I think it would be inaccurate for you to qualify them as that,” she added, declining to give additional information on the departures.

Brannigan, who had been serving as senior vice president for sales and marketing, joined BCBSRI in 1996, the company’s Web site indicates.

Fraser, most recently vice president for government relations, joined the company in 1984. Jordan was assistant vice president of government relations and a “BlueAngel” literacy volunteer, was hired in 1986.

Urbani, most recently the senior vice president of external services (customer, provider and medical services) for BCBSRI and previously the president and CEO of the former Coordinated Health Partners Inc. (BlueCHiP), also joined the insurer in 1986.

The departments where the four had been working will be overseen by other people, “and we’re very confident that there will be no problems whatsoever,” Keough said.

Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Rhode Island, founded in 1939 as the Hospital Service Corporation of Rhode Island, is a nonprofit health insurance company insuring more than 670,000 individuals statewide. BCBSRI is an independent licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association. Additional information is available at www.bcbsri.com.