Navigating Healthcare Costs in Washington and How Premera is Supporting our Employers

As Washington employers face mounting pressure from rising healthcare costs, taxes, and regulation, the question isn’t just what’s happening—it’s why it matters. In a recent conversation hosted by the Puget Sound Business Journal, Premera Blue Cross CEO Jeff Roe sat down with Puget Sound Business Journal President and Publisher Don Baker to unpack the challenges employers are navigating and the role healthcare plays in the equation.

This candid conversation tackles big topics, such as:

• Why Washington is becoming a tougher place to do business
• How healthcare costs are being driven by provider consolidation, workforce shortages, inflation, and policy decisions
• What Premera is doing to help employers manage complexity and improve employee health outcomes

Link to the video: https://www.bizjournals.com/seattle/news/2025/08/22/harder-to-do-business-washington-jeff-roe.html

From investing in advanced primary care and behavioral health access to streamlining prior authorization and launching digital health tools, Premera is working to be more than a health plan—we’re a partner in building a healthier, more productive workforce.