Attorney general monitors dispute

Highmark-UPMC split concerns Shapiro

Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

HARRISBURG — Pennsylvania Attorney General Josh Shapiro says his office is paying close attention to the ongoing dispute and fallout from the impending Highmark-UPMC split, and vows “to aggressively enforce our laws” to ensure health systems across the state comply with laws governing charitable care and their tax-exempt status.

“I am deeply concerned about the way in which these companies are confusing consumers, injecting stress into the marketplace and limiting consumer options — and doing so as nonprofits utilizing tax dollars,” he said in a brief interview Monday.

On the first day of Medicare open enrollment, Mr. Shapiro has made no secret that he’s monitoring the pending UPMC-Highmark breakup. Earlier this month, he posted a telling message on his personal Twitter account:

“A reminder to Pennsylvanians that #UPMC and #Highmark are nonprofits who don’t pay certain taxes, build hospitals and other infrastructure with tax-exempt bonds and who are supposed to be mission oriented to serve the public. “We are taking note.” Nearly a half-dozen members of the attorney general’s staff were present last week when Apprise, the Allegheny County agency that provides free counseling to seniors regarding their health care options, organized a panel discussion on 2019 Medicare plan changes that included UPMC and Highmark representatives.