Contracts for Premera’s commercial and Medicare Advantage members are scheduled to end effective July 1, 2023, and UW Medicine is currently in negotiations to extend our agreement into future years.
If an agreement cannot be reached, Premera commercial and Medicare Advantage members may be required to pay a higher out-of-pocket expense, up to the full cost, of services provided.
UW Medicine’s contracts with Premera include:
- Harborview Medical Center
- UW Medical Center – Northwest & Montlake
- UW Medicine Primary Care
- UW Physicians, including services provided at Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center
- Valley Medical Center
If you are a Premera commercial or Medicare Advantage member, how might this affect your healthcare at Valley?
You should continue to see your doctor and use Valley for needed healthcare services. Starting July 1, if the contract expires without another in place, you are welcome to continue receiving care, but Premera may not cover the full cost of your care. As a result, you may be responsible for a higher out-of-pocket expense, up to the full cost, of services provided.
For emergency care, please go to the nearest Emergency Room. If you get emergency care at Valley and need to be admitted for inpatient care, hospital services may not be covered by Premera.
Please call the number on your Premera health insurance card if you have questions or concerns about this potential change or for information regarding authorization for services that are scheduled on or after July 1, 2023, including continuity of care or out-of-network benefit options. If your health insurance plan is sponsored by your employer, we encourage you to contact your employer’s Human Resources or Benefits department to understand your options and to request a plan that includes UW Medicine.
We value our relationship with you and hope to continue being your partner for healthcare. Please visit www.uwmedicine.org/premera for the latest updates and to view Frequently Asked Questions. For additional questions, please call us at 425.690.3535, or if you’d like to connect with a Valley Financial Advocate, please call 425.656.5599.
