Pittsburgh-based health insurer Highmark asked a federal judge yesterday to rejoin an antitrust lawsuit in order to keep its recent business agreements private, according to a Pittsburgh Tribune-Review report.
The lawsuit in question was filed by West Penn Allegheny Health System in 2009. WPAHS sued both Highmark and its competitor University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, claiming the two conspired to alter WPAHS' reimbursements. When Highmark agreed to buy WPAHS last year for $475 million, which is still pending, WPAHS dropped Highmark from the lawsuit.
UPMC and Highmark recently agreed to a new contract agreement through 2014, and within that agreement, Highmark said it would drop the antitrust lawsuit as well as a related false advertising lawsuit. UPMC also recently asked a district judge to halt the antitrust lawsuit until the merger is complete so all parties would not incur legal costs.
However, in a new turn, Highmark wants to be placed back into the antitrust case. Media requests have asked to make the Highmark-UPMC agreement public, but being placed back onto the suit would guard the details of the UPMC deal, according to the report.
The lawsuit in question was filed by West Penn Allegheny Health System in 2009. WPAHS sued both Highmark and its competitor University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, claiming the two conspired to alter WPAHS' reimbursements. When Highmark agreed to buy WPAHS last year for $475 million, which is still pending, WPAHS dropped Highmark from the lawsuit.
UPMC and Highmark recently agreed to a new contract agreement through 2014, and within that agreement, Highmark said it would drop the antitrust lawsuit as well as a related false advertising lawsuit. UPMC also recently asked a district judge to halt the antitrust lawsuit until the merger is complete so all parties would not incur legal costs.
However, in a new turn, Highmark wants to be placed back into the antitrust case. Media requests have asked to make the Highmark-UPMC agreement public, but being placed back onto the suit would guard the details of the UPMC deal, according to the report.
More Articles on UPMC, Highmark and West Penn Allegheny Health System:
Payor-Provider Integration: Anatomy of the Highmark-West Penn Deal
UPMC to File Highmark Agreement Under Seal in Motion to Halt Antitrust Case
Highmark Drops False Advertising Suit Against UPMC