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Alabama Court Grants Preliminary Approval of $2.8B BCBSA Provider Settlement

  • Jan 21, 2025

On December 5, 2024, an Alabama federal judge granted preliminary approval for the settlement in the Blue Cross Blue Shield (BCBS) Antitrust Litigation. As part of the agreement, BCBS will pay $2.8 billion to a Settlement Fund and implement transparency and accountability measures to address alleged anticompetitive behavior.

Podiatric physicians, so long as they meet the requirements to participate in the settlement, are eligible to receive funds from the settlement. In order to be part of the settlement class, a provider must currently provide or have provided health-care services, equipment or supplies to any patient who was insured by, or who was a member of or a beneficiary of, any plan administered by any Settling Individual Blue Plan during the Settlement Class Period (July 24, 2008, through October 4, 2024).

Providers that exclusively furnished services under BCBS plans for Medicare, Medicaid, or the Federal Employee Health Benefits Programs are excluded from the settlement as claims under those plans do not count. Additionally, providers who opted into the settlement in the Love v. Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association case are not eligible.

APMA is still reviewing the terms of the settlement and will provide updates as appropriate and available. With regard to the size of the settlement, the current settlement allocation proposal is as follows:

  • Plaintiff attorneys will receive up to 25 percent ($700,000,000) for services, marketing and distribution
  • Health-care facilities will receive 92 percent of remaining funds ($1,932,000,000)
  • Eligible providers will receive 8 percent of remaining funds ($168,000,000), based on their claims volume for non-government (Medicare, Medicaid FEHB) plans.

Key Settlement Dates:

  • Opt-Out Deadline: March 4, 2025
  • Claims Filing Deadline: July 29, 2025

Providers can find information related to the settlement at www.bcbsprovidersettlement.com.

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