All Ruth Anne Ford wants is to retain the same doctors her family has trusted for years. But if UPMC-affiliated doctors are considered out-of-service for Highmark insurance holders, she’ll have to find new doctors.

The 35-year-old homemaker and mother of four from Herman participated in a health insurance rally in Pittsburgh on Wednesday. She said her two youngest children, a 4-year-old and a 2-year-old, both have suffered from chronic ear infections.

“They have a special condition with their ears. They had tubes in them, and the (2-year-old) currently still has tubes, and he’s due to have them grow out within the next six to nine months, possibly a year,” Ford said. “They see a (UPMC) ear, nose and throat specialist, and we’ll have to see another doctor to get in network rates.”

It’s not just her children, but also her husband, Gabriel, that utilizes UPMC physicians.

“My husband’s neurologist is also a UPMC doctor. He doesn’t see him very often, but when he does, he’s particular because he trusts him and he’s been seeing him off and on for the last 14 years, 15 years,” she said.

He’s had several back surgeries, leaving pins in his spine after his most recent surgery.

“I would just like to see UPMC and Highmark come to the conclusion that it should be in-network care, not out of network. They should include all insurances. It doesn’t matter what insurance you have,” Ford said.