Wespath will send an e-mail and follow-up letter to HealthFlex primary participants in the Blue Cross Blue Shield of Illinois (BCBSIL) network this week to inform them that some participants are eligible to share in the settlement proceeds stemming from a class-action lawsuit against the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association (BCBSA). The proposed settlement agreement includes a fund of approximately $1.9 billion after attorneys’ fees, administration expenses and other costs are paid.

BCBSA is the national association of 35 independent, locally-operated Blue Cross Blue Shield companies. BCBSIL, one of HealthFlex’s third-party administrators, is a member of the BCBSA. 

The lawsuit alleges that the BCBSA companies violated antitrust laws. 

The e-mail and letter state that primary participants who were enrolled in HealthFlex’s BCBSIL network between September 1, 2015, and October 16, 2020, are eligible to submit a claim to share in the settlement proceeds. Spouses and dependents covered through HealthFlex should not submit a claim related to their HealthFlex coverage. 

To submit a claim, primary participants are instructed to either visit the settlement’s official website (https://www.BCBSsettlement.com) or call JND Legal Administration (the settlement’s court-appointed administrator) at 1-888-681-1142 to request a paper form. Those are also the best sources of information for participants who have questions.

Claims for settlement proceeds must be submitted by November 5, 2021.

In case you missed it, last week’s HealthFlex Express included additional information about the class-action lawsuit and proposed settlement.

If you have any additional questions, you can contact Sarah Krause, Wespath’s Associate General Counsel, at SKrause@Wespath.org.