According to a recent article in the Philadelphia Business Journal, the Pennsylvania Insurance Department will not issue a ruling on the merger until early next year.  This is because the Insurance Department must wait 105 days from the end of the public comment period.  Due to certain omissions from the public notice published last month, the public comment period was extended until October 14, 2008.  This means the earliest that the Insurance Department can issue a final ruling on the merger will be January 27, 2009.

Copies of the public documents associated with the Highmark/Independence Blue Cross merger request can be found on the Pennsylvania Insurance Department website here.