The Pennsylvania Insurance Department today said it will hold three days of hearings in July on the merger between Highmark and Independence Blue Cross.

The hearings are designed to hear from consumers and others about how the consolidation of the two huge insurers will affect the health-care market.

The first hearing will be held at the Westin Pittsburgh Convention Center, 1000 Penn Ave., Pittsburgh, on July 8.

The second will be at the Harrisburg Hilton & Towers, 1 N. Second St., Harrisburg, on July 10.

The last hearing is set for the Sheraton Philadelphia City Center Hotel at 201 N. 17th St., Philadelphia, on July 15.

Each hearing will begin at 9 a.m. There will also be evening sessions starting at 7 p.m.

Here's the critical thing: If you want to be heard, you need to pre-register. To do that, you need to provide the identity of the speaker, and the date and location where the remarks will be made. And the Insurance Department is encouraging people to submit advance copies of their testimony.

The key date for doing all of that is before July 2.

Send those comments to: Robert Brackbill, Chief, Company Licensing Division, Insurance Department, 1345 Strawberry Square, Harrisburg, Pa. 17120. Or fax them to 1-717-787-8557. Or e-mail them to rbrackbill@state.pa.us

To read what's already been filed in this complex case, go to this link and click on "Highmark/IBC."