In Pennsylvania, many are relieved to see the 2 yr old plan to merge two giant  health insurance carriers has finally been abandoned. Pittsburg based Highmark and Philadelphia based Independence have finally given up on the idea of becoming one insurance superpower, an alliance that would have resulted in a weaker network and fewer choices for members, many experts had feared. The alliance would have controlled nearly half of the state’s market, and some thought would give them too much leverage in the Pennsylvania market. A condition of the merger, that they relinquish the Blue Cross Blue Shield brand, was the point at which no one was willing to proceed. Spokesmen for the companies expressed dissapointment over the failure, but do you think it is really better for the state overall that the merger did not come to pass?