Take Action: Protect Access to Physical Therapy
Premera has announced a payment policy change affecting phyiscal therapy services beginning December 4th, 2026. We are concerned this change may create challenges for independent physical therapy clinics and could ultimately affect patient access to care.
Send a Message to Premera
Premera members can use the template below to share concerns about the new physical therapy payment policy. Please personalize the bracketed fields before sending.
Personalize the letter
Replace the bracketed sections with your own information, including your plan name, member ID, experience with physical therapy, and contact information.
Copy the message
Once you have reviewed the template, tap Copy Letter below.
Send it to Premera
Sign in to your Premera member account, open the secure message center, paste the letter, personalize any remaining fields, and send.
You can also personalize the letter, sign it, and mail it to:
Premera Blue Cross
Attn: Member Services / Office of the Chief Medical Officer
P.O. Box 327
Seattle, WA 98111-0327
Premera Blue Cross
Attn: Member Services / Office of the Chief Medical Officer
P.O. Box 327, Seattle, WA 98111-0327
Re: Member concern — new payment policy for physical therapy (Policy CP.PP.099 v4.0, effective December 4, 2026)
Dear Premera:
I am a Premera member ([Plan name], Member ID [XXXX]). I am writing because I understand Premera has adopted a new payment policy that, beginning December 4, 2026, will significantly cut what Premera pays physical therapy clinics for the care members like me receive.
As I understand it, when a therapy visit includes more than one treatment service — which describes nearly every physical therapy visit — Premera will pay the first service in full and cut a major portion of the payment for each additional service, even though the therapist's time, the treatment space, and the equipment are used for the entire visit. Analyses shared among Washington providers estimate this works out to roughly a 15–20% cut per visit, with no change in the care delivered or what it costs clinics to deliver it.
Physical therapy matters to me personally. [Briefly describe your experience — e.g., “Physical therapy at (clinic) helped me recover from surgery / return to work / avoid pain medication or an operation.”]
My concern is simple: independent clinics cannot absorb a cut of this size, and many will have to see fewer Premera patients or leave Premera's network entirely. That means my premiums buy less — fewer in-network therapists, longer waits, and farther to travel for care that helps people avoid far more expensive imaging, medication, and surgery. Reducing access to physical therapy does not save money; it shifts members toward costlier care.
I respectfully ask Premera to:
• Withdraw or delay this policy before its December 4, 2026 effective date;
• Publish its analysis of how the policy will affect members' access to in-network physical therapy; and
• Meet with Washington's physical therapy community before making changes of this magnitude.
I chose Premera expecting reliable access to the care my plan covers. Please reconsider this policy.
Sincerely,
[Name]
[City, WA] · [Plan name] · Member ID [XXXX]
[Email] · [Phone]
Tip: After pasting the letter into Premera's secure message center, double-check that you have replaced every bracketed field before sending.
Share Your Concerns With the Office of the Insurance Commissioner
Washington's Office of the Insurance Commissioner helps consumers with insurance questions, concerns, and complaints. If you are concerned about how Premera's new physical therapy payment policy could affect your access to care, you can contact their Consumer Advocacy team.
Open the Washington OIC website
Use the button below to visit the Office of the Insurance Commissioner's consumer complaint page.
Choose how you'd like to contact them
You can file a complaint or ask an insurance expert for help understanding your concerns and options.
Explain your concern
Share that you are a Premera member and are concerned about the December 4, 2026 physical therapy payment policy and its potential effect on your access to independent physical therapy providers.
You may use the sample message below as a starting point. Personalize it with your own experience before submitting.
I am concerned that this policy could make it more difficult for independent physical therapy clinics to continue participating in Premera's network. This could mean fewer in-network providers, longer wait times, and greater difficulty accessing physical therapy when patients need it.
Physical therapy is important to me because [briefly describe your personal experience with physical therapy or why maintaining access is important to you].
I am asking the Office of the Insurance Commissioner to review this issue and consider the potential impact this policy may have on Washington patients' access to in-network physical therapy care.
Thank you for your time and consideration.
Washington Office of the Insurance Commissioner Consumer Advocacy:
800-562-6900
Monday–Friday, 8:30 a.m.–4:30 p.m.