Kaiser Permanente has submitted a request to terminate their provider contract with Premera Blue Cross and LifeWise Health Plans effective March 1, 2022. This provider termination will primarily impact Premera and LifeWise members in the greater Spokane area.
Premera will be mailing members who have had one visit to a Kaiser provider within the last 12 month period advising them of this change.
Members have several options available to them to receive care in the Spokane area, including MultiCare clinics, Providence Medical Group and the Vivacity Care Clinics. Members can also find a new provider by accessing the Find a Doctor tool on the Premera and LifeWise websites or by contacting the Customer Service phone number on the back of their ID card.
Members can remain with their current Kaiser-affiliated provider after March 1, 2022; however, they will experience higher out-of-pocket costs using an out-of-network provider. If a member is in the middle of a course of treatment with a Kaiser provider, they can contact Customer Service to explore the option to extend their time with that provider for continuity of care.
In addition to Kaiser’s request to terminate their contract with Premera, they also recently announced MultiCare will no longer be in the Kaiser HMO provider network as of January 1, 2022. This also brings an opportunity to Premera and our unique relationship with MultiCare through our Peak Care plans in Spokane county. Peak Care can be offered either as a single plan within an employer group, or on a dual choice basis with one of our Balance or Choice plans. The new Multiple Choice Guidelines offer greater flexibility in offering Peak Care as an option to employers with 8 or more enrolled employees.
______________________________________________________________________________________
If you have any questions on our small group plans and processes, please contact Connexion’s PBC WA Small Group Team