The House Democratic Policy Committee will hold a public hearing on Community Blue customers' access to health care providers.

The hearing will be held from 1 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. Mon., April 29, in the Allegheny County Council Gold Room, 436 Grant St., Downtown.

State Reps. Dan Frankel, Democratic Caucus chairman, and Tony DeLuca, Democratic chairman of the House Insurance Committee, requested the hearing. "The hearing will focus on specific contractual issues between Highmark and UPMC that have resulted in the denial of patient access to care, despite the patients' willingness to pay out-of-pocket for services rendered." according the press release issued by state Rep. Mike Sturla, chairman of the committee.

UPMC has been invited to testify but is currently not on the agenda to speak. The public is invited to attend.