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Two chiropractic trade groups in Connecticut have agreed to a settlement after an investigation into their statewide boycott of a health insurer.

Both the Connecticut Chiropractic Association and the Connecticut Chiropractic Council were accused of a conspiracy to opt out of Anthem Health Plans' proposed network for chiropractic services.

State Attorney General Richard Blumenthal and the Federal Trade Commission led the investigation. Blumenthal says the boycott was an attempt to avoid lower reimbursement rates that the new chiropractic network would potenially cause.

Blumenthal claims that both organizations violated antitrust and anti-competitive regulations that are in place to protect consumers.

The Attorney General chided both trade groups, but laid a majority of the blame on Robert Hirtle, attorney for the Connecticut Chiropractic Council:

"The attorney essentially enabled and encouraged this arrangement. He was a cheerleader for the orchestrating and organizing of this boycott. And he should be held responsible as much or more as the trade groups and individual chiropractors. In my view, these chiropractors were really misadvised and misled."

Both trade groups have agreed to pay fines totaling $70,000, while Hirtle will pay $17,000.