Insurer Highmark Inc. filed suit in Allegheny County Common Pleas Court today for a temporary restraining order "to prevent [West Penn Allegheny Health System] from starting affiliation or acquisition discussions with other organizations." Highmark also said that it wants to protect the sizable monetary investment, hundreds of millions in loans and grants, that it has already made in the financially ailing health system. The legal filing comes three days—and one business day—after West Penn Allegheny caught Highmark off guard with the Friday morning announcement that it would be trying to break off its affiliation agreement with Highmark.
