Insurers Sue Administrators Of|$5 Billion Vioxx Settlement Fund

NEW ORLEANS (CN) - Twenty-seven insurance companies have sued administrators of Merck's $4.85 billion Vioxx settlement fund: the BrownGreer law office of Richmond, Va., and US Bancorp. Insurers claim the settlement agreement was crafted to promote rapid and secret distribution of money, making it impossible to identify participating policyholders thus obstructing insurers from claiming reimbursement.

Once the money is distributed and commingled with other assets, the plaintiffs' rights to the funds could evaporate, the insurers claim. They are represented in Federal Court by lead counsel Susman Godfrey of Houston.

Here are the parties to the lawsuit: AvMed Inc., Aetna Inc., Arkansas Blue Cross and Blue Shield, HMO Partners Inc. dba Health Advantage, USAble Life, BCBSD Inc. dba Blue Cross Blue Shield of Delaware, Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Mississippi, Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Rhode Island, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Arizona Inc., Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas Inc., Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Massachusetts Inc., Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Vermont, Blue Cross Blue Shield Association, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Florida Inc., Blue Cross Blue Shield of Tennessee, CareFirst Inc., Connecticut General Life Insurance Company, Government Employee's Health Association Inc., Great-West Life & Annuity Insurance Company, Group Health Incorporated, The Guardian Life Insurance Company of America, Harvard Pilgrim Health Care Inc., Hawaii Medical Service Association, Health Net Inc., Highmark Inc., Highmark West Virginia Inc. dba Mountain State Blue Cross Blue Shield v. BrownGreer PLC, US Bancorp Inc.

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