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.