Blue Cross Blue Shield to send $2.67B in settlement checks. See who is eligible – Austin American-Statesman
Two and a half years after Blue Cross Blue Shield reached a $2.67 billion settlement with its subscribers, funds finally are expected to be distributed to about 6 million people.
Perhaps.
An update on the settlement’s website stated that “claim determination notices are being emailed on a rolling basis.” No date was given for when all notices would be sent.
The settlement ended litigation that began in 2013 when a class-action antitrust lawsuit was filed against more than 35 Blue Cross Blue Shield health insurance plans, including Highmark.
The Blue Cross Blue Shield Association (BCBSA) is a national group of independent, community-based and locally operated health insurers. Each insurer has its own territory. For example, Highmark’s service area includes Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Delaware, and parts of Ohio and New York state.
The lawsuit claimed the BC/BS plans illegally entered into an agreement not to compete with each other and to restrict competition among themselves.
The planned distribution comes after the U.S. Supreme Court denied an appeal from a settlement class member, David Behenna, who had objected that the amount set aside for legal fees and attorneys’ costs — $667 million — was too high.
Attorneys for Home Depot had also filed a challenge to the settlement, telling justices that the terms were too sweeping and would harm the ability of future private parties to sue Blue Cross Blue Shield over violations of competition law, Reuters reported.
The Supreme Court’s denial resolved all appeals, according to the settlement website.
About 6 million people filed claims by the November 2021 deadline, which applied to individuals and employers who purchased or were enrolled in a BCBS plan between Feb. 7, 2008 and Oct. 16, 2020. As a result, they can expect to receive about $333 per claim.
Although the subscriber settlement deadline has passed, the provider portion of the settlement remains open. The deadline for health care providers to submit claims is July 29, 2025.
This isn’t the only large-scale settlement Blue Cross Blue Shield has reached in recent months. It also has agreed to pay $2.8 billion to providers, including health systems and physicians.
The providers had claimed in a class-action lawsuit filed in 2012 that Blue Cross Blue Shield plans conspired not to compete with each other in an effort to control the amount of money they paid hospitals and physicians for their services.
— USA TODAY contributed to this report.
source
This article was autogenerated from a news feed from CDO TIMES selected high quality news and research sources. There was no editorial review conducted beyond that by CDO TIMES staff. Need help with any of the topics in our articles? Schedule your free CDO TIMES Tech Navigator call today to stay ahead of the curve and gain insider advantages to propel your business!
Perhaps.
An update on the settlement’s website stated that “claim determination notices are being emailed on a rolling basis.” No date was given for when all notices would be sent.
The settlement ended litigation that began in 2013 when a class-action antitrust lawsuit was filed against more than 35 Blue Cross Blue Shield health insurance plans, including Highmark.
The Blue Cross Blue Shield Association (BCBSA) is a national group of independent, community-based and locally operated health insurers. Each insurer has its own territory. For example, Highmark’s service area includes Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Delaware, and parts of Ohio and New York state.
The lawsuit claimed the BC/BS plans illegally entered into an agreement not to compete with each other and to restrict competition among themselves.
The planned distribution comes after the U.S. Supreme Court denied an appeal from a settlement class member, David Behenna, who had objected that the amount set aside for legal fees and attorneys’ costs — $667 million — was too high.
Attorneys for Home Depot had also filed a challenge to the settlement, telling justices that the terms were too sweeping and would harm the ability of future private parties to sue Blue Cross Blue Shield over violations of competition law, Reuters reported.
The Supreme Court’s denial resolved all appeals, according to the settlement website.
About 6 million people filed claims by the November 2021 deadline, which applied to individuals and employers who purchased or were enrolled in a BCBS plan between Feb. 7, 2008 and Oct. 16, 2020. As a result, they can expect to receive about $333 per claim.
Although the subscriber settlement deadline has passed, the provider portion of the settlement remains open. The deadline for health care providers to submit claims is July 29, 2025.
This isn’t the only large-scale settlement Blue Cross Blue Shield has reached in recent months. It also has agreed to pay $2.8 billion to providers, including health systems and physicians.
The providers had claimed in a class-action lawsuit filed in 2012 that Blue Cross Blue Shield plans conspired not to compete with each other in an effort to control the amount of money they paid hospitals and physicians for their services.
— USA TODAY contributed to this report.
source
This article was autogenerated from a news feed from CDO TIMES selected high quality news and research sources. There was no editorial review conducted beyond that by CDO TIMES staff. Need help with any of the topics in our articles? Schedule your free CDO TIMES Tech Navigator call today to stay ahead of the curve and gain insider advantages to propel your business!
