General News
Published May 14, 2019
Premera Blue Cross and Providence St. Joseph Health announced a new contract that ensures Premera members will retain in-network access to one of the nation’s largest health systems through 2024.
The new contract represents a strong collaboration that provides stability, lower costs, and the opportunity to improve patient outcomes. Premera and Providence St. Joseph Health expect to create innovative products and services based on their shared expertise to make healthcare work better.
“Our collaboration is built on the foundational belief that strong relationships between providers, patients, and health insurance companies are the keys to lasting health outcomes,” said Dr. John Espinola, executive vice president of healthcare services for Premera. “Only by working closely together can we make health care simpler, easier, and more affordable. We can’t do it alone.”
With this five-year contract, Providence St. Joseph Health will remain in current provider networks for group plans, and it will become a leading choice for Premera members with an individual health plan starting in 2020
Total joint replacement bundle with Providence
In addition to the five-year contract with Providence, Premera has named seven Providence St. Joseph Health facilities as centers of excellence for joint replacement procedures that recognize their high-quality standards.
Pending regulatory approval, Premera will offer its members a one-stop-shopping total joint replacement bundle that provides pre- and post-surgery procedures, education, care coordination, and travel support.
In the news
Read the press release about the partnership and total joint replacement program.