Premera Involvement in Washington and Alaska Health Insurance Markets

In the May 2002, the Premera Blue Cross corporation announced its intention to convert from nonprofit to for-profit status. In February 2003, Washington State Insurance Commissioner Mike Kriedler granted intervener status in the conversion process to groups of provider, consumer, public interest, and health care advocacy organizations with an interest in the outcome of Premera’s conversion. These groups of interveners asked the Health Policy Analysis Program (HPAP) to examine available information and conduct additional research in order to produce two reports that evaluate the possible effects of a Premera conversion on consumers and providers in Washington and Alaska..