Premera Health Insurance
Premera Blue Cross is not affiliated with, nor does it endorse or sponsor, the contents of this webpage or the HealthInsuranceCoverage.com website.
Premera has offered health insurance services to citizens of Washington State since 1933 and Alaska since 1957. Since that time, they have been a leading provider of health insurance services in both states. Premera currently offers insurance all across the state of Alaska and in every Washington county except for Clark. In addition to Premera's coverage of Washington state and Alaska, they also offer insurance through their LifeWise subsidiary. This LifeWise brand provides insurance to residents of Washington State, Oregon and Arizona but not under the aegis of Blue Cross Blue Shield.
Premera Blue Cross was originally known as Washington Hospital Service, and was registered in the year 1948 to sell pre-paid medical benefits in the state of Washington. Their name was changed once in 1969 to Blue Cross of Washington and Alaska and then again to Premera Blue Cross when the company merged with Medical Services Corporation. This Spokane, Washington-based provider was also a Blue Cross Blue Shield licensee, and during all this time Premera health insurance has consistently been provided in the form of Blue Cross and Blue Shield plans.
Since 2002, Premera health insurance has been offered in the form of what they call their Dimensions plans. These innovative new plans are designed to bring together Premera and their providers in such a way that doctors are able to provide their patients with the best care possible. Rather than providing services care in ways that deviate from best practices, Dimensions allows doctors to give the best quality of care possible.
The innovative Dimensions plans also allow customers to determine what services and options they need, rather than being stuck with rigid, predetermined plans. These new products break the mold of old HMO or PPO systems, allowing customers to freely choose elements from three core product categories, which are care facilitation, provider networks and benefits. Since customers can choose what works best for them, they are able to achieve much more beneficial results than available from the more traditional bundled plans.
Premera Blue Cross currently covers over 1.6 million members with their health plans. Their Blue Cross Blue Shield health insurance plans are available to nearly 7 million residents of Washington state and Alaska, while their LifeWise brand extends coverage to over 10 million residents of Oregon and Arizona. Their long standing history of offering insurance coverage stretches back to the 1930s, and they continue to innovate today with their Dimensions plans, which allow doctors to provide the best care and customers to choose what is best for their needs.
