Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel filed a federal antitrust lawsuit Thursday against Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan, accusing the state's largest health insurer of running an illegal monopoly. The insurer disputes the claims, and none of the allegations have been proven in court.
The lawsuit alleges that Blue Cross controls 65% of the state's market for health insurance products and 79% of its PPO market. The attorney general argues that this power has allowed the insurer to raise premiums and out-of-pocket costs for families while cutting payments to hospitals, doctors and therapists.
