BUSINESS BRIEFINGS – HEALTHCARE:

An HIV patient in San Diego sued Anthem Blue Cross in state court, accusing California's largest for-profit insurer of violating the law by requiring certain policyholders to buy specialty drugs from a mail-order pharmacy.

The plaintiff, who withheld his name because of his medical condition, filed suit in San Diego County Superior Court. At issue is Anthem's requirement, effective March 1, that certain patients with HIV, cancer and other serious illnesses buy specialty drugs from a mail-order pharmacy.

Customers using a retail pharmacy would have to pay the full price of these expensive specialty medications, according to the company.

A spokesman for Anthem said the company hadn't yet seen the suit. Overall, the company said its policies are "compliant with applicable laws."