Coverage you can count on

At Premera, we work hard to make healthcare more accessible for our members. As a not-for-profit health plan, we connect members and their families with the care they need, when they need it, from providers who understand them. Too many people face access barriers—location, complexity, cost—and we’re working to remove them.

How we’re improving access to care

Here’s what we’re doing to connect members and their families with the care they need, when they need it, from providers who understand their unique needs.

Expanding primary care

The challenge

Many communities face limited access to primary care. Patients often struggle with short appointment times, long waits for scheduling, and few options for integrated behavioral health support, especially in rural areas.

How we’re helping

Premera is expanding access through Kinwell primary care clinics in Washington. These clinics offer longer visits, faster scheduling, and integrated behavioral health care. With 16 locations and virtual care available statewide, Kinwell is reaching populations who would otherwise go without consistent, high-quality primary care.

Investing in rural care

The challenge

Rural communities only have two-thirds of the primary care providers they need due to persistent workforce shortages, forcing patients to travel long distances and wait longer for care.

How we’re helping

We’re expanding the rural healthcare workforce by investing in training and residency programs that build a stronger pipeline of providers in rural areas. Research shows that clinicians who train in rural settings are far more likely to remain and practice in those communities, helping ensure lasting access to care.

Expanding behavioral health access

The challenge

Finding behavioral health care is often difficult—limited provider availability, long wait times, and mismatched referrals leave many patients without timely or appropriate support.

How we’re helping

Premera is broadening access through expanded provider networks, virtual care, and personalized matching services. The Matchmaker™ for Behavioral Health program connects members with a curated list of in-network clinicians, while digital partners offer video, text, and phone-based therapy, including psychiatry and medication management.

Policies we support

Premera advocates for policies that make it easier for members to get connected to the care they need, including:

Distributing emergency medications, allowing hospitals to dispense prepackaged emergency medications when a pharmacy isn’t accessible, ensuring patients receive timely treatment.
Expanding certified peer support specialists to grow the behavioral health workforce, improving access to mental health and substance use services.
Improving access to birth control, allowing patients to pick up a 12-month supply of contraceptives at their provider’s office, leading to fewer pharmacy trips, fewer missed doses, and more consistent reproductive healthcare.