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April 29, 2013 at 11:06 AM
PITTSBURGH (AP) — Health insurance giant Highmark Inc. received conditional approval Monday from Pennsylvania regulators to take over the financially troubled West Penn Allegheny Health System as part of its plan to compete with UPMC, western Pennsylvania’s dominant network, for patients and their health care dollars.
Pennsylvania’s insurance commissioner, Michael Consedine, called the takeover a landmark transaction, while proponents of the deal hope it will slow the growth of health care costs and improve health care in western Pennsylvania. Highmark is the nation’s only Blue Cross Blue Shield licensee to own a health system or hospital, according to the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association.
The department’s approval comes amid a feud between Pittsburgh-based Highmark and UPMC, the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center’s health system. An insurance contract between the two is scheduled to expire in 2015.
In a statement, Gov. Tom Corbett said the decision was in line with his administration’s aim to improve health care access, quality and affordability.
The conditions of the approval are designed to protect the public, community hospitals and Highmark policyholders while preserving fair competition and the financial stability of Highmark, the Insurance Department said.
The conditions also require communication to patients and subscribers about the potential termination of the UPMC contract in 2015, the department said. Another condition is intended to ease access to Highmark’s network for unrelated medical providers, community hospitals and insurers, it said.
