This just in from AFTPA Staff Representative Walt Michalski regarding the recent announcement between UPMC and Highmark:
With the announcement of the UPMC-Highmark deal there has been much excitement. HOWEVER, it is not a blanket agreement.
UPMC would not agree to offer access to tiered plans from Highmark, which include Community Blue Flex PPO andCommunity Blue Flex EPO. As things stand now, very little will change from what we expected to happen in our plans on July 1, 2019. Most of the UPMC hospitals (including Hillman Cancer Center) and UPMC providers will be out of network for our members.
Children’s Hospital, Western Psych, and the UPMC Joint Ventures will be in the enhanced tier.
The UPMC Community Hospitals, like Jameson, will be in the enhanced tier, rather than the standard tier (they were going to be in the standard tier).
Highmark and ACSHIC are working diligently to create communications pieces for distribution as quickly as we can. We want to be sure that they are very clear. I just wanted to give you a heads-up on the basic information, since it is so different than what is in the press and what our people are being led to believe and I wanted to let you know information will be coming ASAP.
Essentially, what will happen beginning July 1, 2019, will be exactly what we told people would happen. I do not expect that the plans will changed at all to allow that access.
Take care,
Walt
Rest assured the moment we can share additional concrete information with you, we will. Please refer to the official News from the PFT, Nina’s Notes and our website for updates on these issues as information becomes available.
