MultiCare issues notice to leave network before contract ends

MultiCare demands a double-digit increase in fees in 2024

Asuris Northwest Health has served Eastern Washington for more than 90 years, providing access to high-quality, affordable health care. We greatly value the high-quality care doctors and nurses at MultiCare provide our members and many of our own employees. We have had a strong and stable relationship with MultiCare in serving Eastern Washington, but we must take a stand at this time against these unprecedented demands.

The leaders of MultiCare have issued Asuris Northwest Health a termination to demand a double-digit increase?in addition to the increase in rates?they already agreed to.

MultiCare’s initial demand would raise the total cost of health care (the combined amount Asuris and the member would pay for care) and result in increased premiums and out-of-pocket costs for members and customers. For example:

• The total cost of having a baby at MultiCare would be $3,000-$4,000 more than it is today
• A heart bypass at MultiCare would go up $19,000 – about three times the health insurance premium that an average employee pays a year through their employer
• Getting admitted to a MultiCare hospital would cost $6,000 more

If MultiCare’s leaders choose to leave the Asuris network, the following Eastern Washington facilities will be considered out of network on March 1, 2024, for all lines of business, including Medicare Advantage.

• MultiCare Deaconess Hospital
• MultiCare Valley Hospital
• MultiCare Rockwood Clinic primary care and specialty clinics
• MultiCare Indigo Urgent Care

And the following facilities in Western Washington will be considered out of network on March 1, 2024, for all lines of business, including Medicare Advantage.

• MultiCare Allenmore Hospital
• MultiCare Tacoma General Hospital
• MultiCare Good Samaritan Hospital
• MultiCare Covington Medical Center
• MultiCare Auburn Medical Center
• Mary Bridge Children's Hospital
• MultiCare Medical Associates primary care and specialty clinics
• MultiCare Indigo Urgent Care

MultiCare Capital Medical Center and MultiCare Yakima Valley Hospital are not affected by this termination.

In addition to the impact MultiCare’s demand would have on the cost of care, MultiCare withdrawing from the network would contribute to growing care deserts in Eastern Washington and South Puget Sound, dramatically affecting access to health care for people living in those communities.

We are disappointed MultiCare has chosen to unnecessarily cause disruption and anxiety for hundreds of thousands of Washingtonians.

As businesses serving the local community, Asuris and MultiCare are responsible for balancing provider reimbursement rates with the need to help control health care costs to continue serving the local communities with high-quality, affordable health care.?We continue to actively work to reach an agreement with MultiCare’s leadership that strikes that balance.

We’re here to help

We recognize how disruptive news about these negotiations can be to our members. We remain fully committed to continuing negotiations and reaching an agreement that maintains access to high-quality, cost-effective care for our Washington health plan members.

Our Customer Service team is ready to support members. If you have questions or need help, please call us at the number on the back of your member ID card. You can also sign in at asuris.com? to access your member account, search for in-network providers and more.

We will update our LinkedIn account as negotiations with MultiCare continue.?