$2.67 billion settlement reached against Blue Cross Blue Shield for a nationwide conspiracy to thwart competition for health insurance customers
Plaintiff(s):
Subscribers of Blue Cross Blue Shield health plans across the United States
Case type / claims:
Antitrust class action alleging violations of the Sherman Act through a conspiracy among Blue Cross Blue Shield of America and 37 independently operated BCBS plans to divide markets, restrict competition, and fix premium prices.
Defendant(s):
Blue Cross Blue Shield of America and 37 affiliated BCBS health plans
Jurisdiction:
U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Alabama
Year:
2020
Outcome:
- $2.67 billion settlement — one of the largest monetary recoveries in U.S. antitrust class action history.
- Sweeping injunctive relief restructuring BCBS’s business practices and limiting future anti-competitive conduct.
- Case set a new benchmark for class-wide relief in complex health insurance antitrust litigation.
