By Mike Oliver | moliver@al.com The Birmingham News 
on January 17, 2014 at 5:39 PM, updated January 18, 2014 at 7:50 AM
BIRMINGHAM, Alabama — Lawyers suing Blue Cross and Blue Shield for conspiring in Alabama and across the country to illegally stifle competition forcefully argued in briefs filed this week that the case should not be dismissed.
“This case is simple,” begins one of filings opposing Blue Cross’ motion to dismiss the suit.
“The plaintiffs have alleged in detail that the defendant Blue Cross and Blue Shield plans, which are independent companies, agreed with each other to carve the United States into ‘service areas’ in which only one Blue plan can sell health insurance and contract with healthcare providers,” the brief continues. “This practice known as horizontal market allocation, and it is illegal. …”