West Penn Allegheny Health System News

UPMC filed its answer late Wednesday to a three-year-old antitrust lawsuit by rival West Penn Allegheny Health System, and brought insurer Highmark back into court.

Standard & Poor's on Monday downgraded its long-term rating to B- from B+ on $737 million in bonds issued by the West Penn Allegheny Health System, 10 days after the ailing hospital network reported that overall losses had more than tripled to $76 million during the nine months ending March 31 when compared to the same period a year ago.

The University of Pittsburgh Medical Center is asking a federal judge to put an anti-trust lawsuit on hold because of a proposed merger involving the other party and insurer Highmark Inc.

Losses from its core business of providing medical care more than doubled and total operation losses more than tripled during the nine-month period ending March 31 at the West Penn Allegheny Health System as key metrics including number of patient days, births and surgeries continued to deteriorate, according to financial statements released ... (more)

Frank Costa, MD, has been dismissed as medical director and ambulatory surgery center administrator at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center after he helped insurer Highmark purchase property for outpatient centers, according to a Pittsburgh Post-Gazette report.

The Erie hospital has signed a contract with ProtoCo Supply Chain Partners, a Pittsburgh company launched April 9 by Highmark Inc.

The University of Pittsburgh Medical Center and Highmark Inc. are agreeing to another extension on a regional health care contract that will keep the groups' hospitals and doctors in the insurance network through the end of 2014.

" Lilly Oncology on Canvas ," an exhibition of art by people diagnosed with cancer, their families, friends and caregivers, is on display at the West Penn Allegheny Health System Outpatient Care Center in Peters Township through Friday.