In this case it’s Highmark and UPMC in the Pittsburg area. It’s interesting to listen to the comments in the video and the “deals” are discussed here. They bring up United Healthcare buying up physician’s groups and we have that big in the OC. 
This is really getting tough for patients and again being here in the OC I am hearing a few issues and Blue Shield is suing the part of United that is part of the two big doctor groups. It was just a couple months ago that Blue Cross and Highmark bought NaviNet which is used by several insurance companies so the insurers here have a joint effort. Highmark also handles a lot of Medicare through contracts from CMS.
Blue Cross and Highmark back in 2009 tried to merge with each other which I believe was not allowed as they are both obviously different companies still. I’m glad this is starting to get some national attention as again I see it here in the OC and it’s doing nothing for patients here either. BD
WSJ's Anna Mathews examines a battle being waged between Pittsburgh's UPMC hospital and insurer Highmark over patients and how consolidation in the health-care industry is spurring similar tensions.
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