By Mike Oliver | moliver@al.com AL.com
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on December 22, 2013 at 7:01 AM, updated December 22, 2013 at 7:12 AM
A federal lawsuit winding its way through federal court in Birmingham accuses Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Alabama and about three dozen other Blue Cross plans of conspiring with each other, agreeing not to compete and dividing territory to limit competition.
The class action lawsuit, which alleges violation of federal antitrust laws through a “complete lack of meaningful competition,” helps explain the relationship between BCBS of Alabama and the broader Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association. Local businesses such as BCBS of Alabama, although independently run, are linked by the Chicago-based, nationally run BCBSA with a board of directors.