Shapiro appeals UPMC ruling to state's highest court

Pennsylvania Attorney General Josh Shapiro is asking the Pennsylvania Supreme Court to review consent decrees involving the dispute between healthcare giants UPMC and Allegheny Health Network.

Shapiro announced Monday that he filed an appeal with the Supreme Court after the state’s Commonwealth Court last week ruled in favor of UPMC, blocking Shapiro’s attempt to have courts halt the planned expiration of an agreement between UPMC and AHN on June 30th.

Shapiro has claimed that UPMC, a non-profit healthcare provider and insurer, is not living up to the standards of a charitable organization.

“Despite its stated charitable mission, UPMC is spending exorbitant sums of money and countless hours on legal tactics aimed at preventing people from receiving care. I will keep fighting for the best interests of patients, payers and the public in Western Pennsylvania,” Shapiro said in a statement Monday.

At issue are UPMC plans to make most of its facilities out-of-network for AHN subscribers and to implement a payment-in-full prior to services requirement for Medicare patients not insured by UPMC.

Shapiro had asked Commonwealth Court for an injunction blocking changes set to take place after June 30 while the court case continues but that court denied the request.

Shapiro’s appeal to the Supreme Court makes the same request.

UPMC attorney’s argued at the lower court that Shapiro has no authority to interfere in the agreements reached between the two health insurers.