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Network change alerts

Is your hospital leaving your plan?

Verified contract changes between Pacific Northwest hospitals and insurers. Don’t panic. Don’t assume. Verify with your plan before you change anything.

Current alerts

  • Leaving network

    Providence and UnitedHealthcare

    Plans:
    UnitedHealthcare individual Medicare Advantage, Group Retiree and Chronic Special Needs (C-SNP) plans (Oregon and Washington)
    Effective:
    January 1, 2027

    Confirmed on UnitedHealthcare's own notice (updated October 5, 2026). Not affected: employer commercial plans, Medicare Supplement, and Washington D-SNP plans (still being negotiated). Coverage through December 31, 2026 is unchanged. Use Medicare Annual Enrollment (Oct 15 – Dec 7) to compare plans.

    UnitedHealthcare notice(opens in new tab) · Last checked October 12, 2026

  • Agreement reached

    Legacy Health and UnitedHealthcare

    Plans:
    UnitedHealthcare employer and individual commercial, Medicare Advantage (incl. Group Retiree and D-SNP) and Community Plan of Washington (Medicaid)
    Effective:
    September 30, 2026

    Confirmed on UnitedHealthcare's own notice: a multi-year agreement keeps Legacy hospitals and providers in Portland and Vancouver in network.

    UnitedHealthcare notice(opens in new tab) · Last checked October 12, 2026

  • Agreement reached

    MultiCare and Premera Blue Cross

    Plans:
    Premera Blue Cross plans (Washington)
    Effective:
    July 31, 2026

    After short-term extensions, Premera reports an agreement: MultiCare clinics and hospitals remain in network for Premera members.

    Premera notice(opens in new tab) · Last checked October 12, 2026

  • Agreement reached

    MultiCare and Regence BlueShield (UMP)

    Plans:
    Regence BlueShield plans, including Uniform Medical Plan (UMP) for PEBB and SEBB members, in Grays Harbor, Thurston and Yakima counties
    Effective:
    June 2, 2026

    Confirmed by the Washington State Health Care Authority: a new agreement put MultiCare back in network, retroactive to May 10, 2026, so care received during the gap is treated as in-network. Undated MultiCare letters saying there is no agreement were mailed before it was signed.

    Washington Health Care Authority(opens in new tab) · Last checked October 12, 2026

  • Leaving network

    MultiCare and Regence Medicare Advantage PPO

    Plans:
    Regence Medicare Advantage PPO (Puget Sound region)
    Effective:
    January 1, 2026

    Confirmed on Regence's own notice (November 8, 2025): MultiCare chose to leave all Medicare Advantage PPO plans in the Puget Sound region, so MultiCare providers and facilities there are out of network for Regence Medicare Advantage PPO plans.

    Regence notice(opens in new tab) · Last checked October 12, 2026

  • Not in 2026 plans

    UW Medicine 2026 plan changes

    Plans:
    Regence BlueShield Washington Exchange plans (incl. BridgeSpan); Humana, PacificSource and Wellpoint Medicare Advantage
    Effective:
    January 1, 2026

    Confirmed on UW Medicine's own notice: these plans do not include UW Medicine in 2026 (Harborview, UW Medical Center – Montlake and Northwest, UW Medicine Primary Care, and UW Physicians, including professional services at Fred Hutch).

    UW Medicine notice(opens in new tab) · Last checked October 12, 2026

Contracts can change at the last minute. Always confirm with your insurer and the hospital before scheduled care. This page is education, not insurance advice.

If this affects you

What happened

A hospital and an insurer changed or ended their contract. Your doctor did not do anything wrong, and neither did you.

What it means

After the effective date, care there may cost more because it is out of network. Emergency care is still protected.

Who handles this

Your insurer, using the number on the back of your card. For Medicare, also 1-800-MEDICARE or your state's free SHIP counselor.

What next

Check the date, ask about continuity of care if you are in treatment, and compare plans during open enrollment.

Continuity of care

If you are pregnant, in active treatment (such as cancer care), scheduled for surgery, or have a serious condition, ask your insurer for a continuity-of-care (or transition-of-care) form. Federal rules give many qualifying patients up to 90 days of continued in-network cost sharing.

What to ask your plan

“Is [hospital] in network for my exact plan on [date of my appointment]? If not, do I qualify for continuity of care, and what is the reference number for this call?”