Major PA Healthcare Provider and Insurance Company at Odds

UPMC Healthcare Systems and Highmark health insurance services have been debating in the past few months whether to continue to serve each other as their 10-year contract comes to a close this year.  If Highmark refuses to provide insurance to patients at UPMC medical facilities and UPMC does not accept Highmark insurance, many patients could potentially be left without doctors or access to medical services.  This poses a particularly complicated situation for those patients undergoing long-term treatment for such diseases as cancer and diabetes.  Patients and physicians are both worried about the possibility of mass movement of medical records, which may result in lost or incomplete records at the patient’s new treatment center.  Those who receive Medicare plans through Highmark will not be affected by any possible changes.  

During your personal injury claim, you will be incurring long-term medical expenses, most likely over a period of months or years.  If there is a significant shift in your healthcare plan or your insurance company refuses to pay your medical bills during treatment for your injury caused by an accident, you should keep your attorney up to date, as it might affect how your claim is handled.  Although Attorney Doug Stoehr cannot consult with you about a possible gap in your insurance coverage as the result of an issue like the UPMC/Highmark contract negotiation, he encourages you to check your insurance policy frequently to be aware of any possible changes in your policy.

Attorney Stoehr is a lawyer based out of Altoona, PA that specializes in personal injury claims.  If you would like to consult with him about a possible personal injury claim, please contact our law office for more information.