Blue Cross Blue Shield Antitrust Settlement: What You Should Know
Employee Benefit Updates

Bernie Portal

April 26, 2021

Members who were covered by certain Blue Cross Blue Shield health insurance or administrative services plans between February 2008 and October 2020 might be eligible for a class action lawsuit settlement. Read on for more information.

What are the BCBS Settlement Details?

The class action lawsuit—which is formally called In re: Blue Cross Blue Shield Antitrust Litigation MDL 2406, N.D. Ala., Master File No. 2:13-cv-20000-RDP—includes an allegation that “the Settling Defendants violated antitrust laws by entering into an agreement where they agreed not to compete with each other in selling health insurance and administration of Commercial Health Benefit Products in the United States and Puerto Rico, as well as agreeing to other means of limiting competition in the market for health insurance and administration of Commercial Health Benefit Products.”

Blue Cross Blue Shield (BCBS) denies wrongdoing and claims that their actions result in “lower healthcare costs and greater access to care for their customers,” according to the settlement website. While the Court has not decided on the right or wrong party, both the plaintiffs and defendants agreed to a $2.67 billion settlement.

BCBS Settlement Eligibility 

The settlement class includes individuals as well as insured groups and their employees who were covered by BCBS from February 7, 2008, through October 16, 2020. 

For self-funded accounts, the settlement class period is from September 1, 2015 through October 16, 2020. Those who are not eligible to receive payment from the settlement include dependents, beneficiaries, and non-employees. It’s important to note that employers are not required to notify employees of this settlement.

For more information about the settlement and information about opting out, visit https://www.bcbssettlement.com/faq

How Do I File a BCBS Settlement Claim?

To file a claim, visit Blue Cross Blue Shield’s online portal. The website will prompt you to enter your Unique ID sent to you through email or in the mail and the website. If you don’t have an ID, the website will walk you through the details on how to submit your claim.

It’s important to note that claims need to be submitted by November 5, 2021. For more information, visit https://www.bcbssettlement.com/faq.

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