U.S. agencies OK merger of insurers

0 Comments | Philadelphia Inquirer, The, May, 2007 | by Jane M. Von Bergen Inquirer Staff Writer

The Federal Trade Commission and the Department of Justice's antitrust division have put their seals of approval on the proposed merger of Independence Blue Cross and Highmark Inc.

"This is a really positive sign that they did not find any antitrust or any competitive issues," said Independence Blue Cross spokeswoman Elizabeth Williams.

The two agencies, which investigate mergers for possible antitrust violations and the dampening of competitiveness, granted the state's two largest insurers' request for an early termination of the waiting period under the federal Hart-Scott-Rodino Act.

The departments said they have granted those early terminations if the proposed merger complied with all the rules and...