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Doctors: We killed Blue Cross merger

The American Medical Association "is proud of its major role in stopping the merger" of Highmark (Pittsburgh Blue Cross) and Independence Blue Cross (Philadelphia), chairman Joel Hyman says.

Joel Hyman, board chair of the American Medical Association, writes, “Today’s decision by Highmark and Independence Blue Cross to withdraw its merger application in the face of a challenge that the merger would be anticompetitive is unprecedented...

"The American Medical Association (AMA, the doctors' lobby) is proud of its major role in stopping the merger. This merger of Pennsylvania’s two dominant health insurers would have created a stranglehold on the Pennsylvania health insurance market, reducing competition and hurting patients.
 
“The AMA has strongly opposed this proposed merger in testimony before both the Pennsylvania Insurance Department and the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee. Like all Americans, Pennsylvanians deserve a choice in health plans.

"When insurers are allowed to merge and dominate the health insurance market patients suffer with higher premiums and decreased access to care...We urge all state regulators to be similarly vigilant in protecting patients by ensuring a competitive health care market.”