Premera and Alaska Regional Hospital contract negotiations update

Premera Blue Cross Blue Shield of Alaska began negotiations with HCA Healthcare (HCA), the owner of Alaska Regional Hospital (ARH), in January 2026 to reach an agreement that supports long-term affordability for Alaska employers and families. Since January, Premera has made repeated attempts to negotiate a new contract with ARH. After no response from ARH, Premera issued a contract termination notice on June 3, 2026, in the hopes of moving the discussions forward.

Despite those efforts, we only recently received a proposal from HCA. This proposal has limited meaningful progress in negotiations. If an agreement is not reached, ARH will be out of network for Premera members on October 1, 2026. We remain committed to continued discussions and hope to reach a fair, sustainable agreement before that date.

To comply with member notification requirements, Premera mailed notices on July 30 to Federal Employee Program members who have recently received care from an ARH provider, informing them that ARH may be out of network beginning October 1. Additional notifications are scheduled to be mailed to other affected Premera members on September 1.

You can stay informed about contract negotiations and member resources by visiting the Healthsource blog.