Highmark-UPMC Agreement Continues Into 2013

Throughout the year,  our blog highlighted the ongoing debate between UMPC, one of western Pennsylvania’s largest physician networks, and Highmark, a health insurance giant in western Pennsylvania.  The two companies had been in negotiation for months about renewing their contracts for the upcoming renewal period on their contract.  Through a series of lawsuits, legal arrangements, and negotiations between both parties, patients using both UPMC and Highmark services will be able to receive both services until 2013.

The latest update involved an agreement by both companies in which patients insured by Highmark, but using UPMC doctors, will continue to be able to use both companies' services until 2013.  This is an extension of the original agreement, in which services were scheduled to stop between the companies in 2012.  Both parties are still not clear about how they will be serving their patients together after their contract period ends in 2013.  Both parties also issued statements which can be viewed by clicking on the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette's link at the beginning of this paragraph.

If you have Highmark insurance and are also a patient within the UPMC Healthcare system, Attorney Doug Stoehr advises you to carefully examine any correspondence that your health insurance and medical provider may send you.  It is important to be as knowledgeable as possible about what you are entitled to from your insurance company and your healthcare provider, especially when major changes are occurring within those systems.

Attorney Stoehr is a lawyer specializing in personal injury and services the western and central Pennsylvania area.  If you would like to consult with him about a possible personal injury claim, please contact our law office.

What's New With UMPC/Highmark

Throughout the summer, this blog highlighted the ongoing debate between UMPC, one of western Pennsylvania’s largest physician networks, and Highmark, a health insurance giant in western Pennsylvania.  The two companies had been in negotiation for months about renewing their contracts for the upcoming renewal period on their contract.  Since they could not reach a favorable agreement for both parties, the companies have launched campaigns against each other in order to draw customers toward their service and away from the other’s company.  Additionally, Highmark bought a rival healthcare company in the area, which is UMPC’s biggest competitor for physicians and patients.  This only served to fuel the fire of competition between the two organizations, which is still continuing on today.

The latest update involved advertisements put out by UMPC under the slogan “Keep Your Doctor”.  Highmark filed a lawsuit against UMPC for this campaign, which was recently overruled by a Pittsburgh area judge.  The judge cited lack of evidence as the primary reason why Highmark’s lawsuit against UPMC was unfounded thus far in regards to the advertising campaign.  As of this point, Highmark insured patients will be able to use UMPC doctors through summer 2013.   

As mentioned many  times in this blog, if you have Highmark insurance and are also a patient within the UPMC Healthcare system, Attorney Doug Stoehr advises you to carefully examine any correspondence that your health insurance and medical provider may send you.  It is important to be as knowledgeable as possible about what you are entitled to from your insurance company and your healthcare provider, especially when major changes are occurring within those systems.

Attorney Stoehr is a lawyer specializing in personal injury and services the western and central Pennsylvania area.  If you would like to consult with him about a possible personal injury claim, please contact our law office.

Highmark/UMPC Spat Results In Advertisement Lawsuit

Over the summer, our blog has covered the ongoing dispute between Highmark (a major medical insurance company) and UPMC (a major healthcare provider) in western PA.  A few weeks ago, this blog mentioned that Highmark and UPMC were heavily advertising in the Pittsburgh area in order to gain and maintain their clients.  Since that time, Highmark has sued UPMC, claiming that UPMC is falsely advertising that they will be unable to serve patients under Highmark's insurance policy when the two companies' contract expires next year.  The results and progression of the lawsuit remain to be seen.

As mentioned multiple times in this blog, if you have Highmark insurance and are also a patient within the UPMC Healthcare system, Attorney Doug Stoehr advises you to carefully examine any correspondence that your health insurance and medical provider may send you.  It is important to be as knowledgeable as possible about what you are entitled to from your insurance company and your healthcare provider, especially when major changes are occurring within those systems.

 Attorney Stoehr is a lawyer specializing in personal injury and services the western and central Pennsylvania area.  If you would like to consult with him about a possible personal injury claim, please contact our law office.

UPMC/Highmark Argument Targets Media Markets

The highly publicized UPMC/Highmark health insurance disagreement highlighted heavily by our blog and most Western and Central Pennsylvania newspapers is now hitting the general public in full force. Both healthcare companies are heavily advertising their services via newspaper, radio, and magazine advertisements. Now that the two healthcare giants are unofficially competing for the same market, they are marketing towards the same patients for healthcare renewals and new business.  This advertisement barrage is not expected to slow or decrease in the immediate future, as current patients within the UPMC/Highmark healthcare system make their choice between which organization they want to stay with.

As mentioned in previous blog posts, if you have Highmark insurance and are also a patient within the UPMC Healthcare system, Attorney Doug Stoehr advises you to carefully examine any correspondence that your health insurance and medical provider may send you.  It is important to be as knowledgeable as possible about what you are entitled to from your insurance company and your healthcare provider, especially when major changes are occurring within those systems.  Attorney Stoehr is a lawyer specializing in personal injury and services the western and central Pennsylvania area.  If you would like to consult with him about a possible personal injury claim, please contact our law office.

UPMC and Highmark Cannot Reach Agreement

As highlighted earlier in our blog this summer, healthcare provider UPMC and health insurance company Highmark still have not reached a decision regarding their contract.  UPMC has chosen not to negotiate with Highmark after news was broken that Highmark was trying to acquire UPMC's biggest competitor in western PA: Western Penn Allegheny Health System.  Since Highmark is now operating Western Penn, they can be considered to be in direct competition with UPMC.  The groups are in talks about how to best disperse patient records in case a patient wants to switch healthcare systems.

If you have Highmark insurance and are also a patient within the UPMC Healthcare system, Attorney Doug Stoehr advises you to carefully examine any correspondence that your health insurance and medical provider may send you.  It is important to be as knowledgeable as possible about what you are entitled to from your insurance company and your healthcare provider, especially when major changes are occurring within those systems.  Attorney Stoehr is a lawyer specializing in personal injury and services the western and central Pennsylvania area.  If you would like to consult with him about a possible personal injury claim, please contact our law office.

State Legislation Offers Opinion into Highmark-UPMC Dispute

This summer, a major medical insurance company and a largehealthcare provider in western Pennsylvania have been in the midst of tense contract negotiations.  If negotiations fail, many patients in western Pennsylvania may lack the access to healthcare that they had previously relied upon.  Earlier in the summer, our blog had highlighted the larger points of this dispute and recently, PA congressmen have stepped in to add their perspective and opinion on the matter.  Both State and House members have offered to meet with both parties to discuss options and reach a favorable solution for both parties.  Highmark and UPMC have both agreed to meet with the lawmakers.

Attorney Doug Stoehr is a lawyer serving western and central Pennsylvania who specializes in personal injury. If you would like to set up a consultation with him involving a possible personal injury claim, please contact our law office.