A major lawsuit filed against Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina has generated a flurry of class-action cases that, if successful, could result in lower health insurance premiums for tens of millions of Americans. The suit alleges that Blue Cross plans nationwide have driven up health care costs by colluding to carve up the nation's insurance market. As the plaintiffs tell it, the arrangement works like this: Thirty-eight Blue Cross and Blue Shield plans nationally have illegally agreed not to compete on one another's turf. Consequently, Blue Cross plans in South Carolina and Virginia don't compete with Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina. Blue Cross strongly disputes the allegations, saying that it is simply trying to get its customers the best prices available. The company says its territorial restrictions and contracts have withstood legal challenges and government scrutiny for years. The plaintiffs - three Mooresville residents and two small businesses - are represented by lawyers with a powerhouse firm in Washington, and some antitrust experts predict they will win in court. The various Blue Cross plans are independent insurance companies. But the lawsuit alleges that they have colluded through their national trade group - the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association.

Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina, Inc. Presents at Pega Collaborative Healthcare Summit, Oct-24-2012 03:15 PM. Venue: The Park Plaza Hotel, Boston, Massachusetts, United States. Speakers: Leon Sabarsky, Manager, Business Rules Automation.

American Well Inc., Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina, Inc. (BCBSNC) and Walgreens Take Care Health Systems have collaborated to make telehealth services available to thousands of BCBSNC employees located throughout North Carolina. The service, called OnlineCareNC, allows BCBSNC employees from home or work to receive a health care consultation from credentialed Take Care Health System nurse practitioners, health coaches or nutritionists through two-way video, secure text chat or phone. Take Care Health Systems, a division of Walgreens, manages the on-site BCBSNC health centers. BCBSNC employees can use OnlineCareNC to connect with a Take Care nutritionist or health coach for a live visit, while those with established relationships with BCBSNC's health center providers can use the online technology to talk live with a nurse practitioner. During each online visit, Take Care health care providers will be able to review the employee's available clinical information, discuss symptoms and recommend follow-up care, as appropriate, to established patients. The telehealth system will automatically create a complete electronic record of each online visit, supporting continuity of care and collaboration among the providers caring for employees. Telehealth service offerings are undergoing rapid adoption by insurers and employers across the U.S. to meet employer and consumer demand for convenient and cost effective care. For example, nearly 40% of BCBSNC employees are currently enrolled in consumer-driven HSA plans. OnlineCareNC provides a convenient and cost effective option for BCBSNC employees on these types of health plans, who are more actively looking for ways to manage their own medical costs. A July 2012 Towers Watson report found that more than one in four employers plan to offer telehealth services within 12 months, while a June 2012 Accenture survey found three in four patients want to communicate with their doctors electronically.