On Tuesday it was announced that Anthem Blue Cross has agreed to reumburse $8.3 million dollars to approximately 50,000 California clients. The payment is the result of a settlement to a 2011 lawsuit alleging that the carrier made changes to client health plans mid-year. In addition to an informational website being established, notices of the settlement will be mailed to affected subscribers. Checks will reportedly be sent in December 2015. The average amount will be $167.
While only subscribers who were affected by this now defunct policy will receive a reimbursement check, the settlement affects all subscribers in that these mid-year changes cannot happen to them in the future. This is a “win” for consumer protection in the insurance industry.
