A federal court case filed by Massachusetts healthcare company Steward Healthcare against Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Rhode Island received a major boost recently when federal court Judge Will Smith, in a highly detailed and condemning decision, rejected Blue Cross’ motion to dismiss the suit.
The implications of the decision set the stage for a case that could be worth tens of millions for Steward according to attorneys close to the case. The anti-trust suit against Blue Cross carries with it treble damages. The implications could be massive for Blue Cross.
Blue Cross has been under fire recently for violating the tenets of its tax stabilization agreement with the city of Providence and rate hikes.
Smith’s ruling also ties both Lifespan and Thundermist to the effort to block Steward from entering the market.