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This litigation is essentially a continuation of prior litigation involving multiple payers. Several payers, including Anthem/Wellpoint, have already reached settlements. Indiana physicians had opportunities to file claims last year to receive monies from those settlements.
Over $134 million was distributed to physicians in November 2006 as a result of the Anthem/Wellpoint settlement.
Because Indiana is an Anthem/Wellpoint state and the insurer has already settled, no Indiana-based BC/BS plan is included in this new settlement. However, Indiana physicians who treated an enrollee of an out-of-state settling BC/BS plan, including persons enrolled in a Blue Card “suitcase PPO” program, may file a claim.
The AMA has posted an online map showing the settling parties by state.
Finally, active physicians who have not treated any enrollees of a settling plan are still eligible to file a claim and receive the “base amount,” which will be determined by the number of claims filed.
Therefore, virtually every physician is entitled to file a claim. A settlement in the amount of over $131 million, plus interest, will be distributed to eligible physicians who timely file claims.
The AMA has published extensive information about this settlement, including “7 Steps to Maximizing Your Recovery…,” available on the AMA Web site.
The settlement notice, claim form and instructions were mailed to physicians July 27, 2007. If you did not receive them, you may download them.
If you have questions about the settlement, contact the Settlement Administrator at (877) 893-2643. Or you may contact Whatley Drake & Kallas, L.L.C., at (866) 809-8033.
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