黑料福利社

Premera Blue Cross and MultiCare Health System have agreed to extend their contract through July 31, allowing patients to continue to see providers without disruptions while negotiations continue.

The two entities have been working to renegotiate a contract since last year. In April, Premera notified its members online and via a mailed letter that MultiCare had issued a contract termination notice, effective May 31, unless a new agreement is reached between the two companies.

This is the second time the insurer and the health system have agreed to a one-month contract extension. At the end of May, MultiCare and Premera announced they would extend their contract through June 30. The additional extension allows MultiCare patients with Premera Blue Cross insurance to stay in network at least through the end of July.

鈥淭hese discussions are complex and require careful consideration to ensure the right long-term outcome, not just a short-term solution. This extension is a deliberate step to protect members and provides additional time for both organizations to continue working toward an agreement,鈥� Amanda Lansford, a senior external communications manager for Premera, told the 黑料福利社 in an email.

鈥淎s a not-for-profit health plan, Premera has a responsibility to ensure that any agreement does not unnecessarily increase costs for employers and families. We want to reach an agreement that protects access to care, keeps healthcare affordable, and fairly compensates MultiCare,鈥� Lansford continued.

Kevin Maloney, a media relations manager for MultiCare, said the health system hopes to come to a resolution soon.

鈥淪trong contracts are what allow us to serve our communities the way they deserve 鈥� with care close to home, skilled clinical teams, and the technology and resources required to deliver safe, high鈥憅uality care. We hope Premera will join us in finalizing an agreement that protects access to care and puts patients first,鈥� Maloney said in an email.

If an agreement is not reached by July 31, MultiCare would be out of network beginning Aug. 1. The out-of-network designation would affect Premera plan holders with individual and employee sponsored plans, but not plan holders with Medicare supplement coverage.

The termination would apply to MultiCare facilities statewide, including MultiCare Yakima Memorial Hospital and associated medical facilities. Maloney specified in an email that the contract negotiations do not impact Overlake Medical Center & Clinics.

Members can call the number on the back of their ID card with questions or visit Premera鈥檚 Healthsource blog for more information, Lansford said.

Based in Tacoma, MultiCare operates 13 hospitals and more than 300 primary, urgent, pediatric and specialty care locations across Washington, Oregon and Idaho. The not-for-profit health care system acquired Yakima Memorial Hospital in fall 2022.

MultiCare has about 10,000 Regence patients in Yakima.