BIRMINGHAM, AL – Today a monumental settlement was announced by Whatley Kallas, LLP, Co-Lead Counsel, in a long-running antitrust lawsuit filed on behalf of healthcare providers across the nation. The settlement with all the Blue Cross and Blue Shield entities in the country, as well as the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association, provides billions of dollars for healthcare providers and is the largest antitrust settlement in the history of the United States healthcare industry. The settlement includes a $2.8 billion cash payment into a settlement fund, as well as investments by the Blues of hundreds of millions of dollars in system improvements for the benefit of providers. Provider Plaintiffs have asked the court to preliminarily approve the settlement, which would resolve their claims that the Blues violated the antitrust laws by, among other things, agreeing to allocate markets through the use of exclusive service areas and to fix the prices paid to providers through the BlueCard Program.
Provider Plaintiffs File Memorandum of Law in Support of Preliminary Approval of Proposed Class Settlement
Ga. BCBS Fights Hospital Remand Bid In Reimbursement Suit
Law360(August 16, 2024, 6:37 PM EDT)
A Georgia Blue Cross Blue Shield unit is fighting a California hospital’s push to have a lawsuit seeking $905,000 in reimbursements sent back to a Georgia state court, arguing the hospital’s state law claims are preempted by the federal Employee Retirement Income Security Act.
Justices Won’t Hear Objections To $2.67B BCBS Deal
By Matthew Perlman · Listen to articleLaw360 (June 24, 2024, 9:54 AM EDT) — The U.S. Supreme Court refused on Monday to review Home Depot‘s challenge of a $2.67 billion settlement in antitrust litigation targeting Blue Cross Blue Shield, along with a separate challenge of the attorney fees awarded for the deal.
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CommonSpirit health system dropped from Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield after two sides fail to reach agreement
Since an agreement has not been reached, Anthem now considers 11 Colorado hospitals and dozens of clinics and practices as out-of-network.
Posted at 9:34 PM, May 01, 2024
LAKEWOOD, Colo. — After failed contract negotiations, more than 40,000 Colorado patients with Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield insurance no longer have in-network access to nearly all of CommonSpirit’s hospitals, clinics and physicians.
The contract terminated at 11:59 p.m. on April 30, and Anthem removed CommonSpirit from its network beginning May 1.
A spokeswoman for Anthem said the insurance company has offered CommonSpirit a multi-year agreement that includes “reasonable reimbursement rates” but said, “CommonSpirit wants to unacceptably increase costs for Colorado consumers and employers.”
$626M Fee Award In BCBS Deal Is Unjust, High Court Told
Law360(April 30, 2024, 7:36 PM EDT) — A member of the class that settled multidistrict litigation with Blue Cross Blue Shield for $2.67 billion over anti-competitive practices has asked the U.S. Supreme Court to take up his challenge to the $626 million attorney fees award in the settlement, arguing the Eleventh Circuit’s approval of the award runs counter to high court precedent.
Michigan Court Enters Order in BCBS Antitrust Case
U.S. District Judge Linda V. Parker of the Eastern District of Michigan entered an Order on motions to dismiss on March 30, 2024.
To Read the Order:
Ford Can Keep Pursuing Narrowed BCBS Antitrust Suit
By Danielle Ferguson ·
Law360 (April 1, 2024, 6:23 PM EDT) — A Michigan federal judge has trimmed some of Ford Motor Co.’s time-barred claims alleging Blue Cross Blue Shield engaged in an anti-competitive scheme to drive up prices, but said the auto giant established it had standing to pursue allegations it was injured by market-restricting agreements among insurance licensees.
U.S. District Judge Linda V. Parker said Thursday that Ford’s alleged antitrust injuries from buying unreasonably expensive administrative services only, or ASO, products from BCBS as far back as 2013 are outside the statutory four-year window for seeking such claims.
Home Depot Asks High Court To Block $2.67B BCBS Deal
Law360 (March 29, 2024, 8:17 PM EDT) — Home Depot has asked the U.S. Supreme Court to take up its challenge of a $2.67 billion settlement in antitrust litigation targeting Blue Cross Blue Shield, saying the deal immunizes activity that hurts competition.
Home Depot filed a petition with the high court on Tuesday, calling for it to review the Eleventh Circuit’s ruling that affirmed approval of a settlement in long-running multidistrict litigation accusing Blue Cross of using policies that prevent the association’s members from competing against each other.
Blue Cross Blue Shield Louisiana withdraws reorganization plan
Erin Lowrey
WDSU
Public hearings that were scheduled to take place in Baton Rouge Wednesday regarding the proposed reorganization and sale of Blue Cross Blue Shield of Louisiana have been canceled.
The Louisiana Insurance Commissioner’s Office said Blue Cross is now withdrawing its reorganization plan.
Blue Cross was going to be sold to Elevance Heath of Indiana.
There is no further information regarding Blue Cross’ intentions moving forward.