Penn. insurance officials set course for Blues merger

While they're not ready to announce terms, the officials in charge of setting rules for the merger between state Blue plans--Independence Blue Cross and Highmark Inc.--have tipped their hand. The states Insurance Department has let the two know, unofficially, that it won't let the merger go forward unless it makes some changes. Among the biggest is that the companies will have to stop marketing under the highly popular "Blue Cross" trademark, opening the market for another health plan to do so. Article