Premera Blue Cross members living in Oregon or Clark County, Washington, may have received a letter from Legacy Health letting them know that their facilities and providers may no longer be in network beginning April 1, 2024 if the system fails to reach a contract agreement with Regence BlueShield.

Premera does not have a direct contract agreement with Legacy Health, but most Premera members have access to BlueCard-affiliated providers. BlueCard is a national program that enables members of one Blue plan – such as Premera – to obtain healthcare service benefits while traveling or living in another Blue plan’s – such as Regence – service area. Thus, Premera members currently can see Legacy Health at in-network rates. Regence’s contract is the one referenced in the letter that some of our members have received from Legacy Health. 

While we hope that Legacy and Regence reach an amicable resolution that doesn’t result in interruptions in care for any members, we do not have any insight into or influence over those negotiations. Regence and Premera are separate companies. To learn about the current state of negotiations directly from the Regence team, you can visit their blog.   

In the event that Regence and Legacy Health cannot come to an agreement, Legacy Health providers and facilities will be out of network for Premera members as of April 1, 2024. To ensure you can continue accessing quality, affordable care, you can use the Find a Doctor tool on Premera’s website to identify in-network healthcare providers near you. Premera members in Southwest Washington have access to Peace Health SW WA Medical center and the clinics affiliated with it. 

If you have further questions about accessing healthcare in your area or finding a provider who suits your needs, we encourage you to reach out to our customer service team by calling the number on the back of your insurance card. You can also learn more about how to use your Premera health plan at BCBS affiliated providers across the country in this blog post.