Highmark and Allegheny Health Network officials have scheduled a news conference Thursday morning in Beaver, where they will announce an affiliation agreement with Heritage Valley Health System.

The terms of the deal were not clear, but AHN could add two hospitals to its 14-hospital AHN network and expand Highmark’s head-to-head competition for patients and heft with rival UPMC. On Wednesday, UPMC and Chicago-based CommonSpirit announced the acquisition of Trinity Health System in Steubenville, which is about 42 miles from Beaver.

The future of HVHS’s long partnership for cancer care and other services with UPMC was uncertain.

AHN and HVHS officials were not immediately available for comment.

In addition to hospitals in Beaver and Sewickley, Highmark subsidiary AHN could gain about 100

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