Doctor, UPMC to part ways over his deals with Highmark

Longtime Monroeville urologist and developer Frank Costa surely realized how dangerous it would be to walk into the crossfire between partners Highmark and West Penn Allegheny Health System and rival UPMC. And yet, last month, after he had agreed to help Highmark Inc. buy up property in Pittsburgh's suburbs where the insurer is preparing to build a series of outpatient centers and medical malls—even as Highmark awaits government approval of its takeover of WPAHS—Dr. Costa became one of the most notable casualties of this ongoing healthcare war. But UPMC got wind of the deals, and last month he was told that because of the conflict, he was being removed from his post as UPMC's medical director and administrator of its ambulatory surgical center in Monroeville, effective July 30.