After Congress passed the Affordable Care Act in 2010, the 38 health insurers that operate under the Blue Cross and Blue Shield brand needed guidance, and they needed it fast. Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association, the umbrella group for the independent companies, saw an opportunity not only to streamline the way the insurers got legal advice, but also to save some money in the process.
The Chicago nonprofit had relied for years on its Legal Department Cooperative, an initiative run through its Washington office that coordinated hiring outside counsel on matters of common interest to the independent plans, among other things. The cooperative model proved a good way to cope with the onslaught of new health care regulations, said general counsel Roger Wilson.
