U.S. Rep.

Phil English, R-3rd, announced Wednesday his support for a bipartisan measure that would prohibit prerecorded or robotic political calls to individuals who have signed up for the national Do-Not-Call Registry.The bill, known as the Robo COP Act, directs the Federal Trade Commission to revise its regulations to prohibit unsolicited, recorded messages of a political nature to those on the registry."Often times,"English said, "these calls disturb families late at night, interrupt family dinners and leave countless local residents infuriated, confused and misinformed."Under the legislation, those who register their phone number on the Do-Not-Call registry would no longer receive such calls. To contact the registry, dial 1-888-382-1222.Established in 2003, the registry gives consumers an opportunity to limit the amount of telemarketing calls to their home.Although this program has been successful in reducing the number of unsolicited sales calls to households, participants in the program are still eligible to receive calls from organizations engaged in political, charitable or survey work."While I welcome any group exercising their First Amendment rights,"English said, "often times these cookie-cutter political calls offer misleading information and further add to the dumbing down of the American political process."A recent survey by the Pew Internet and American Life Project found that nearly two-thirds of registered voters nationwide received recorded telephone messages during the 2006 elections.———The proposed merger of Highmark and Independence Blue Cross would effectively end health care insurance competition in most of Pennsylvania, according to testimony last week before the state Senate Banking and Insurance Committee.Anita Smith, chief executive officer and president of Capital Blue Cross, speaking at a public hearing on the merger, asked committee members to consider whether the $1 billion "one-time benefit" to the commonwealth would be worth forever losing the benefits of statewide competition."Throughout this series of hearings, we have tried to remain objective and continue to welcome the opinions and viewpoints of any and all interested parties," said Sen.

Don White, R-40th, chairman of the Banking and Insurance Committee."Maintaining a competitive health care insurance marketplace has been my main concern throughout the committee's consideration of this merger."Smith warned of the Highmark-IBC merger that followed expiration of a 10-year noncompetition agreement between the two companies."Great attention has been paid to the lure of this transaction — a purported $1 billion, one time economic benefit to the commonwealth. I know this committee will carefully review that figure," she said."But make no mistake, this merger is the commonwealth's final opportunity. We either nurture vibrant statewide competition, or we forever preclude it."The committee also heard from James R. Buckley, president of the Delaware Valley Health Care Coalition, who urged the state to consider enacting price control legislation to promote competition in the health insurance marketplace."Legislation that promotes a system of equitable medical charges and payments for all would promote competition and result in more economical and efficient medical care,"he said.Buckley said that in the current environment, where patients' treatments are determined by the networks they participate in, network providers are all but guaranteed the business — no matter what the quality of services delivered.He suggested that Pennsylvania develop a reimbursement system similar to that of Workers' Compensation programs, which fixes reimbursements based on a percentage or multiple of the regional Medicare allowance for the procedure/service in question.———A combined 745 streams and 128 lakes will be stocked as a part of the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission's 2008 adult trout stocking program, state Rep.

Dick Stevenson, R-8th, announced last week.Stocking occurs year-round, with a total of nearly 4.5 million trout being stocked this year.Starting last year, the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission began stocking longer, heavier adult trout. The commission will continue that practice in 2008 with average lengths for adult trout coming in at 11 inches.There will also be nearly 9,000 trophy-sized fish mixed in as well.The commission will stock nearly 3.4 million adult trout in Pennsylvanian rivers and streams that are open to the public for fishing. More than one million additional trout will be stocked by private contractors across the Commonwealth.Copies of the trout stocking schedules can be obtained from Stevenson's Butler office at 1771 North Main St. Ext., the Grove City office at 234 West Pine St, or by visiting his Web site at DickStevenson.com.