Allegheny County Executive Rich Fitzgerald announced today that the health insurance coverage for 15,000 county employees and dependents will remain with Highmark through 2015 even if the relationship between the large insurer and UPMC dissolves completely.
The 6,700 county employees already have been on the Highmark plan since January 2013 after a competitive process in which Highmark beat out UPMC Health Plan and Aetna. That contract covers the period until 2016, Mr. Fitzgerald said, and will save the county $10 million in premiums and administrative costs in 2014 and 2015.
Mr. Fitzgerald acknowledged that the announcement could help spur continuing talks between the two competing systems to forestall the split scheduled to occur at the end of this year.
'We hope [the split] does not occur,' Mr. Fitzgerald said. 'We're hopeful both sides will get together and negotiate for the benefit of this whole community.
'We're sending a signal of what we hope they do.'
Highmark has been the insurer for the county since 2005.
A call to UPMC was not immediately returned.
Paula Red Ward: pward@post-gazette.com or 412-263-2620.
Join the conversation:
0 comments on Allegheny County to stay with Highmark for health insurance :
Post a Comment and Don't Spam!