Period Affected is 2020 thru 2008
blue cross blue shield settlement
SEATTLE, April 6, 2021 /PRNewswire/ — On November 30, 2020, the Honorable R. David Proctor of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Alabama granted preliminary approval of the class action Settlement in the In re: Blue Cross Blue Shield Antitrust Litigation MDL 2406, N.D. Ala. Master File No. 2:13-cv-20000-RDP.
What is the lawsuit about?
Plaintiffs claim that the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association and Settling Individual Blue Plans (collectively, “Settling Defendants”) violated antitrust laws by illegally entering into an agreement not to compete with each other and to restrict competition among themselves in selling health insurance and administrative services for health insurance. Settling Defendants deny all claims and have asserted that their conduct results in lower health care costs and greater access to care for its customers. The Court has not decided who is right.
Who is affected?
You may be eligible to receive payment if you are an Individual, Insured Group (and their employees) or Self-Funded Account (and their employees) that purchased or were enrolled in a Blue Cross or Blue Shield health insurance or administrative services plan during one of the two Settlement Class Periods. Government accounts are excluded from the Class.
The Settlement Class Period for Individuals and Insured Groups is from February 7, 2008 through October 16, 2020. The Settlement Class Period for Self-Funded Accounts is from September 1, 2015 through October 16, 2020. Dependents, beneficiaries (including minors), and non-employees are NOT eligible to receive payment.
All Individuals, Insured Groups, and Self-Funded Accounts that purchased or were enrolled in a Blue Cross or Blue Shield health insurance or administrative services plan from February 7, 2008 through October 16, 2020 will also benefit from the provisions of the Settlement requiring Settling Defendants to change certain of their practices that were alleged to be anticompetitive. Dependents, beneficiaries (including minors), and non-employees will benefit from this part of the Settlement.
Here is the site — https://www.bcbssettlement.com/
This class action is called In re: Blue Cross Blue Shield Antitrust Litigation MDL 2406, N.D. Ala., Master File No. 2:13-cv-20000-RDP and is pending in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Alabama Southern Division. U.S. District Court Judge R. David Proctor is overseeing this class action.
Plaintiffs allege that Settling Defendants violated antitrust laws by entering into an agreement where the Settling Defendants agreed not to compete with each other in selling health insurance and administration of Commercial Health Benefit Products in the United States and Puerto Rico, as well as agreeing to other means of limiting competition in the market for health insurance and administration of Commercial Health Benefit Products. Settling Defendants deny all allegations of wrongdoing. They assert that their conduct results in lower healthcare costs and greater access to care for their customers. The Court has not decided who is right or wrong. Instead, Plaintiffs and Settling Defendants have agreed to a Settlement to avoid the risk and cost of further litigation.
Why A Settlement?
The Court did not decide in favor of the Plaintiffs or Settling Defendants. Instead, both sides have agreed to the Settlement. Both sides want to avoid the risk and cost of further litigation. The Plaintiffs and their attorneys think the Settlement is best for the Settlement Classes.
