Second Blue Bids

Second Blue Bid FAQs

• What is the difference between Class Member Eligibility and Eligibility for the Second Blue Bid?

  If you were covered by certain Blue Cross Blue Shield health insurance or administrative services plans between February 2008 and October 2020, you may be a Class Member. The Court certified two Settlement Classes in this case, a Damages Class and an Injunctive Relief Class. You may be included in both Settlement Classes.  The Second Blue Bid provision of the Settlement Agreement was designed to enable 33 million Members of large, geographically dispersed, self-funded national Employers to have the opportunity to receive a Second Blue Bid. This represents approximately half all membership from large self-funded national Employers in the U.S. and approximately one-third of Members of all Self-Funded Accounts. The Settlement Agreement provides the final list of eligible accounts at this time and for two years following final approval including appeals. The list will be refreshed every two years. You may search the list of Qualified National Accounts using the search box above. This search function should only be used to determine if your company is one of the certain large, self-funded national Employers who are eligible to request a bid for coverage from a second Settling Individual Blue Plan and should not be used to identify your plan or determine if you are a Class Member. 

• What is a Second Blue Bid?

  Following final approval of the settlement, certain large, self-funded national Employers will be able to request a bid for coverage from a second Settling Individual Blue Plan, in addition to their local Settling Individual Blue Plan. Employers headquartered in areas where there are already two licensed Settling Individual Blue Plans are unaffected by this process.

• Who is eligible to receive a Second Blue Bid?

  The Second Blue Bid provision of the Settlement Agreement was designed to enable 33 million Members of large, geographically dispersed, self-funded national Employers to have the opportunity to receive a Second Blue Bid. This represents approximately half all membership from large self-funded national Employers in the U.S. and approximately one-third of Members of all Self-Funded Accounts. The Settlement Agreement provides the final list of eligible accounts at this time and for two years following final approval including appeals. After two years, the list will be refreshed every two years. You may search the list of Qualified National Accounts using the search field above.  

  While non-Employer accounts may be members of the Damages Class and eligible to receive monetary payments from the Settlement Fund, they are not eligible to request a Second Blue Bid. Non-Employer accounts, include, but are not limited to, Taft-Hartley trusts, multiple employer welfare arrangements, association health plans, retiree groups, and Opt-Outs.

• When will the Second Blue Bid be available?

  Eligible Employers will not be able to request a Second Blue Bid until three months after the Effective Date of the Settlement. The website will continue to be updated, so please check back.

• How will eligible Employers get a Second Blue Bid?

  Once the Settlement Agreement is approved and the terms go into effect, eligible Employers – directly or through their broker or consultant – can contact the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association or their local Settling Individual Blue Plan, documenting their choice of a second Settling Individual Blue Plan. After the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association confirms the Employer is eligible to receive a Second Blue Bid and the second Settling Individual Blue Plan agrees to provide a bid, the Employer or its broker will work directly with both Settling Individual Blue Plans through the bid intake process. The Employer will receive separate bids from both Settling Individual Blue Plans and will be able to select whichever bid it desires. If an Employer is headquartered in an area where there are two licensed Settling Individual Blue Plans, they already have the opportunity to request two Blue bids and there will be no changes to that Employer’s current processes with those companies.

• What will change for Employers that are not eligible for a Second Blue Bid (i.e., fully insured Employers or those that do not meet eligibility criteria)?

  The settlement will not adversely impact any existing benefits or coverage. Class Members, including those not eligible for a Second Blue Bid, will benefit from operational changes being made as a result of the settlement, such as the elimination of the National Best Efforts Requirement. Additionally, Class Members eligible for payments from the Settlement Fund will be able to receive those benefits by submitting a valid and timely claim.