Pennsylvania Medical Society Comments on Proposed Highmark-Independence Blue Cross Merger
| Date: March 28, 2007 |
Media Contact: |
Chuck Moran |
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Pennsylvania Medical Society |
| For Immediate Release |
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(717) 558-7820 |
(Harrisburg, PA) Today, Philadelphia-based Independence Blue Cross and Pittsburgh-based Highmark announced plans to merge. In essence, this merger would create the largest health insurance entity in Pennsylvania and one of the largest in the country.
The Pennsylvania Medical Society has always expressed concerns over such mergers. We believe that any merger should, first and foremost, be in the best interest of patient care.
In trying to determine if a Highmark-IBC merger would benefit health care, the Pennsylvania Medical Society has met with the chief executive officers of both companies. We are continuing our dialogue with each company to further investigate the situation and how it will impact patient care. And, due to the size of this merger, we would also like to know if it would somehow limit competition in the market place by discouraging other health insurers from entering the Pennsylvania market.
Furthermore, the Pennsylvania Medical Society supports Pennsylvania Senate Bill 550, which was introduced by Senator Don White and would give the Pennsylvania Department of Insurance oversight power over mergers involving non-profit health care insurers such as Blue Cross and Blue Shield.
The Pennsylvania Medical Society believes that no merger should move forward until the benefits to patients and health care professionals are well defined. Until that is determined, the Pennsylvania Medical Society will closely monitor the proposed merger and articulate our concerns.
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The patient-doctor relationship has been the priority of the Pennsylvania Medical Society since its founding in 1848. The Medical Society listens to concerns of both patients and doctors to improve the delivery of health care services. To learn more about the Pennsylvania Medical Society, visit its website at www.pamedsoc.org or its consumer website at www.myfamilywellness.org.
Last Updated: 7/31/2008