BCBS Antitrust Provider Settlement Webinar

The NMA is partnering with Whatley Kallas, LLP, to hold a webinar on Friday, June 27 at 1 pm CDT for our physician members and practice administrators to learn about how the relief provided in the landmark BCBS Antitrust Provider Settlement will change the relationship between the Blue Cross Blue Shield system (BCBS) and health care providers and how to claim your share of the settlement’s $2.8 billion in monetary relief. The presenters of this webinar include Patrick J. Sheehan, Partner, and Deborah J. Winegard, Of Counsel, from Whatley Kallas, LLP.  

In 2024, a settlement was reached in a long-running class action lawsuit against BCBS brought by physicians, hospitals, health systems and other health care providers. The lawsuit alleged a range of antitrust violations by BCBS, including price fixing and allocating markets using exclusive service areas.

Under the settlement, BCBS has agreed to implement changes that will benefit physicians and other health care providers by, among other things, encouraging more competition and increasing transparency, efficiency, and accountability in claims processing, including the processing of BlueCard claims. Economists have valued the injunctive relief at more than $17.3 billion. The webinar will address some of the most important changes required by the settlement.

If you or your business provided health care services, equipment or supplies to BCBS enrollees anytime from July 24, 2008, to October 4, 2024, you may be eligible to submit a claim for your share of the $2.8 billion settlement fund, which represents the largest antitrust settlement in the history of the U.S. health care sector. The webinar will also cover how to submit a claim for your share of the settlement fund.

The settlement claims period is now open and will run until July 29, 2025.