A huge payout is coming — $2.67 billion will be given to millions of Americans in a major health insurance settlement. This is one of the biggest antitrust settlements in US healthcare history. People who had insurance with Blue Cross Blue Shield (BCBS) may start getting money next month.
The case started in 2013, when a lawsuit claimed BCBS companies secretly agreed not to compete with each other. Because of this, the lawsuit said insurance prices were kept high for customers. BCBS denied doing anything wrong, even after the lawsuit.
It also covers some healthcare providers who worked with BCBS plans during specific dates. Providers had a separate deadline and needed to file claims by July 29, 2025, as cited by New York Post. Along with paying money, BCBS has agreed to change its business practices, as noted by . These changes are meant to increase competition and make the market fairer.
People who had BCBS insurance between 2008 and 2020 and filed a claim before November 2021 may get the payment.
Q2. When will BCBS settlement payments be sent?
Payments are expected to start from next month after claims are fully reviewed.
The case started in 2013, when a lawsuit claimed BCBS companies secretly agreed not to compete with each other. Because of this, the lawsuit said insurance prices were kept high for customers. BCBS denied doing anything wrong, even after the lawsuit.
Big court settlement approved
In 2020, a federal judge in Alabama approved the settlement deal. After legal costs, about $1.9 billion is left to be shared among customers, as stated by New York Post. The exact money each person gets will be different, depending on: what plan they had and how much premium they paid. Around 6 million claims have already been filed across the US. Only people who submitted claims before the November 2021 deadline are eligible for payment.Who will get the money
Right now, BCBS is checking all claims carefully before sending money. The company has started sending emails and postcards since February to update people. These notices are being sent in phases (not all at once). If you get a message, you must follow the instructions in it to receive your payout. The settlement includes customers who had BCBS insurance between Feb 8, 2008 and Oct 16, 2020.It also covers some healthcare providers who worked with BCBS plans during specific dates. Providers had a separate deadline and needed to file claims by July 29, 2025, as cited by New York Post. Along with paying money, BCBS has agreed to change its business practices, as noted by . These changes are meant to increase competition and make the market fairer.
FAQs
Q1. Who will get the Blue Cross Blue Shield settlement money?People who had BCBS insurance between 2008 and 2020 and filed a claim before November 2021 may get the payment.
Q2. When will BCBS settlement payments be sent?
Payments are expected to start from next month after claims are fully reviewed.
