U.S. District Judge John Jones tossed UPMC’s lawsuit, determining that Pennsylvania Attorney General Josh Shapiro acted properly in his push to open and change UPMC’s consent decree with Highmark Health, also in Pittsburgh.
Mr. Shapiro filed a petition against UPMC in February seeking changes that require UPMC to accept binding arbitration if an impasse is reached in contract negotiations with an insurer. UPMC filed a retaliatory suit in late February, accusing Mr. Shapiro of overstepping authority.
However, Mr. Jones agreed with the attorney general’s argument that UPMC’s challenge came too early, as it remains unclear how the office’s enforcement of the proposed consent decree amendment would play out, according to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.
UPMC can appeal the decision. A UPMC spokesperson declined the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette‘s request for comment.
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