UPMC has become pretty much a healthcare monopoly here in Pittsburgh, snapping up most of the local hospitals and medical practices. They also sell health insurance. Highmark is their biggest local competitor in the health insurance space.
UPMC has been threatening to end its relationship with Highmark and effectively bar anyone holding Highmark insurance from being treated by UPMC doctors or facilities. This has resulted in a mad game of musical chairs as people are told they can no longer see their doctors and they must find new ones.
This has created angst, anger and outrage here in Pennsyltucky, and resulting demands that the government step-in and DO SOMETHING.
Well, it appears that they are about to DO SOMETHING.
Pennsylvania's Democrat Attorney General is going to court to FORCE these two to play nice together. Things that strike me from this story:
- The State is very concerned that UPMC continue with coerced "charitable contributions".
- The State is very concerned that UPMC is "taking more than its fair share" from taxpayers.
- The State AG feels it is his duty and prerogative to "stop corporate greed".
- The courts may in fact agree with all of the above and take action.
The AG is reacting to petitions and angry calls to Harrisburg about this situation. It all tells me that we are getting pretty close to the point where people are just going to throw their hands up and tell the government to take it all rather than continue to expend stress and anger over butthead organizations like UPMC and Highmark.
Just a wild guess, but is it run by Rats?
That’s a great on-the-ground view of what’s going on. Thanks.
All I knew before, from a distance, was that UPMC was a big and respected medical hospital and university in Pittsburgh.
Glad I have Geisinger Gold Preferred; I almost went with Highmark 10 years ago. With almost $1mm in medical bills over the past 18mos, Medicare and Geisinger have picked-up all but $6,500.
for anyone wondering, UPMC = “University of Pittsburgh Medical Center”
May seem obvious but it was surprising difficult to find the words spelled out to confirm this just now.....
This story is repeated over and over all across the fruited plain.
The People are sick to death of it. The major “competitors” have rigged the game. The private sector (except for boob jobs and LASIK) died a long time ago.
This will decide the Presidential election in 2020. The Democrats know what they want. The Republicans don’t.
Hard times are coming.