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:
Author Archives: Admin
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.
Patients could face out-of-network costs if Legacy Health, Regence negotiations fail
Clark County patients worry about changing doctors, having to wait for care
By Chrissy Booker, Columbian staff writer
As contract negotiations continue between Portland-based Legacy Health and Regence BlueCross BlueShield, patients at Legacy Salmon Creek Medical Center are worried what a potential contract termination would mean for their access to care.
“I felt my heart sink, honestly, when I heard the news,” said Battle Ground’s Karmen Presley, a Legacy patient who’s pregnant with her second child. “Just the thought of having to find a new doctor, which is really important around a sensitive thing like a pregnancy. You want to have confidence in your provider. The thought of searching for a new one was kind of daunting for me.”
Kona judge calls HMSA contracts ‘unconscionable’
By: John Burnett
Hawaii Tribune-Herald
A Kailua-Kona judge on Friday ruled that contract terms and conditions the state’s largest health insurer imposes on doctors and patients are “unconscionable” and “unenforceable.”
Third Circuit Chief Judge Robert S. Kim made the ruling in his written order denying Hawaii Medical Services Association’s motion to compel arbitration for claims made by Hilo obstetrician-gynecologist Dr. Frederick Nitta’s and the late Adrian “Scott” Norton.
Court Enters Orders in MDL 2406: IN Re: Blue Cross Blue Shield Antitrust Litigation
The Honorable R. David Proctor of the Northern District of Alabama entered two Memorandum and Orders on January 31, 24.
Blue Cross loses bid to block damages in long-running antitrust case
By: Mike Scarcella
Dec 22 (Reuters) – A U.S. judge has rejected Blue Cross Blue Shield Association’s bid to bar monetary damages claims from a long-running antitrust case allowing Alabama healthcare providers to seek billions of dollars from the insurance giant and its members for allegedly scheming to underpay them for years.
The ruling on Thursday by U.S. District Judge R. David Proctor in Birmingham allows the claims from health professionals, hospitals and other providers to move forward.
A separate class in the case made up of insurance subscribers, including companies and individuals, settled related claims for $2.7 billion in 2020.
Blue Cross Tribal Health Plan Reimbursement Suit Moves Forward
By: Jacklyn Willie
A long running dispute over Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan’s handling of an American Indian tribe health plan will continue after a US judge declined to find the insurer deliberately failed to meet its discovery obligations and grant judgment for the tribe.
Rate clash between Regence BlueCross BlueShield, Providence could affect 260,000
Regence is taking a reimbursement dispute public, saying its members could be deemed out-of-network starting early next year
Insurer Regence BlueCross BlueShield of Oregon is going public with complaints that Providence Health & Services is seeking double-digit price hikes that would be felt by patients around Oregon.
And if the two don’t come to an agreement, Providence, Oregon’s largest hospital system, could stop honoring Regence insurance on Jan. 15 for people covered by plans through their employers and on Feb. 15 for people who use the insurer’s Medicare Advantage plans.
That means people on Regence insurance seeing Providence providers could lose access to their normal providers or find themselves subject to hefty charges for seeing providers who are considered out-of-network by Regence.