Attorney General Nessel sues Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan

LANSING, MI (WKZO AM/FM) – Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel is suing Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan, saying they have created an illegal monopoly and used that to pay health providers less and charge employers more.

Nessel says the federal antitrust lawsuit says the state was also a victim of Blue Cross, which suppressed competition in selling insurance to large employers.

She says Blue Cross refused to allow any competition when the state tried to negotiate its own health care coverage.

Officials from Blue Cross say the lawsuit “blindsided” them and they “fundamentally disagree with the Attorney General’s characterization of an uncompetitive insurance market in Michigan.”