Bob Graham, Executive Editor

The circus is making three stops in Pennsylvania over the next two weeks as Pennsylvania’s insurance commissioner, Joel Ario, will serve as ringmaster as the sides debate, discuss, dispute, dissemble and distort the possible effects of a merger between Independence Blue Cross and Highmark Inc.

In ring one will be proponents, saying they love how the two companies support their community projects and hoping that their funding won’t dry up. At least that’s what the dozens of letters and emails they sent to the Pennsylvania Department of Insurance seem to indicate.

In ring two will be the opponents, including some of its competitors, including Capital Blue Cross, as well as hospitals, doctors and anyone else who fears the effect of a combined IBC-Highmark, which will control more than half the state’s health insurance market.

Throughout the seven hearings, there are likely to be some sideshows, some grandstanding and some good laughs.

Curtains go up for what Ario’s office bills as “informational hearings” at both 9 a.m. and 7 p.m. on July 8 in Pittsburgh, July 10 in Harrisburg and July 15 in Philadelphia.

It should be noted that rave reviews for the dress rehearsals - the hundreds of emails and letters submitted in favor and against the proposal - led to an additional show, scheduled for 9 a.m. to noon in Philadelphia July 16.

Tickets aren’t required, although there’s no telling what kind of crowd to expect. For those who can’t make it, the big show is available over the Internet.
I wouldn’t want to be Ario. His task is a tough one. Providing people, mostly passionate about their viewpoint, with a forum for comment and attempting to keep order often are mutually exclusive.

Staying awake as people drone on and on and on and on, saying the same thing over as the last guy or the woman before him can be taxing. But shouts and applause will wake him, should he be lulled into thinking how nice it would be on a lake in Oregon.

Unfortunately, the closing act can’t make any of the hearings. Ario’s ruling isn’t expected until late this year. iven the politics and second-guessing that’s guaranteed to come when he announces his final decision, Ario may want to savor his days as ringmaster of Merger Circus.