The company was scheduled to be in court tomorrow for a hearing on its proposed rate increase.  Anthem is appealing a state insurance regulator's decision to scale back a proposed rate hike on some individual policy holders.

A court hearing on Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield's rate appeal has been postponed until next Wednesday.

The hearing was scheduled for tomorrow.  But in a brief statement, Anthem spokesman Chris Dugan said an emergency within the family of the company's lead outside legal counsel forced the company to put off the hearing.

Anthem is appealing a ruling by Maine Insurance Superintendent Mila Kofman, who denied the company's request for an 18 percent rate increase for some individual policy holders in Maine.  Kofman granted an increase of just under 11 percent, but Athem is appealing that decision.

Protesters are staging a rally this afternoon in Portland and had planned to be at the court house tomorrow.

Dugan says the hearing has been rescheduled for Wednesday, March 24, at 9:00 a.m. in Maine Superior Court in Portland.