Which Medicare Plans Does MultiCare Take?
The MultiCare network changed in 2026, and it did not change in one direction. Some plans lost access. Others gained it. Which side you landed on depends on the plan type printed on your card.
By Timothy Jones, licensed independent Medicare agent · · 6 min read
The short answer
On January 1, 2026, MultiCare in the Puget Sound region went out of network for Regence Medicare Advantage PPO plans. On the same date SCAN members gained access to the MultiCare network, and PEBB UnitedHealthcare Medicare Advantage contracts were renewed. So the honest answer to the question in the title is that it depends on your carrier and your plan type, and the plan type is the part most people skip.
I work with people on both sides of the state, and this is the question I get asked in the least useful way. People ask whether MultiCare takes their insurance. The card says a company name, so they read the company name to me. That is rarely enough to answer it.
What actually changed on January 1, 2026
- Out
Regence Medicare Advantage PPO
Beginning January 1, 2026, MultiCare providers and facilities in the Puget Sound region went out of network for Regence Medicare Advantage PPO plans. If you have been paying more at a MultiCare clinic this year and could not work out why, this is the likely reason. It has been true all year.
- In
SCAN Health Plan
Moving the other direction on the same date, SCAN members gained access to the MultiCare network, reported as eight adult hospitals, six off-campus emergency departments, and more than 150 primary and specialty care locations across Pierce, Spokane and Thurston counties.
- Renewed
PEBB UnitedHealthcare Medicare Advantage
Washington's PEBB UnitedHealthcare Medicare Advantage contracts were renewed with MultiCare for 2026, and PEBB Retiree UnitedHealthcare Medicare Advantage stayed in network. Retired public employees are on a different track from the general market here.
Why HMO and PPO is the whole question here
A carrier does not sign one contract with a hospital system. It signs different ones for different plan types. That is how two neighbors can carry cards with the same logo and get different answers at the same front desk. When you call to check, give them the plan name and the plan type, not just the company. If you are not sure which you have, take a photo of the front and back of the card and bring it to me.
What I would check before December 7
- 01
Find the plan type on your card, not just the carrier
HMO and PPO are contracted separately. Two people can hold cards from the same company, with the same logo, and stand on opposite sides of this. The plan type is printed on the card. That word matters more than the brand name.
- 02
Call MultiCare billing with the plan name in front of you
Ask whether they are contracted with that exact plan for the current year, and ask about your specific clinic. A system can be in network while an individual practice or a recently acquired group is not.
- 03
Write down every doctor and where they practice
Primary care, each specialist, and the hospital you would want. Note which are MultiCare, which are Franciscan or Virginia Mason, and which are independent. This list decides more than any brochure.
- 04
If you have been out of network all year, Annual Enrollment is the fix
October 15 through December 7 is when most people can change coverage for the following year. If a network problem has been costing you money since January, that window is the ordinary way to address it.
A note on what a network exit is, and is not
When a health system and an insurer cannot agree on a contract, your plan continues and the provider list changes. That is what happened here, and it is the same shape as UnitedHealthcare and Legacy Health on the other side of the state. It is a different situation from an insurance company winding down entirely, which is what is happening with Providence Health Plan. The rules that apply to your enrollment timing are not the same in those two cases, so confirm your own dates with Medicare.gov, 1-800-MEDICARE, or Washington’s SHIBA program rather than assuming.
A provider leaves the network
Legacy Health and UnitedHealthcare
- What happens to your plan
- It continues. Same card, same premium.
- What actually changed
- Which doctors and hospitals count as in network.
- Special enrollment window
- None. A network-termination SEP was proposed for 2027 and not finalized.
- When you can act
- Annual Enrollment, October 15 to December 7.
Your plan is discontinued
Providence Health Plan
- What happens to your plan
- It ends. You need different coverage for the new year.
- What actually changed
- The insurer stopped offering the plan.
- Special enrollment window
- Yes. December 8 through the end of February.
- When you can act
- Annual Enrollment, or the window above.
Questions I am getting
Did MultiCare stop taking Medicare Advantage entirely?
No. The 2026 change was specific. MultiCare stepped back from Medicare Advantage PPO arrangements in the Puget Sound region, with the Regence Medicare Advantage PPO exit confirmed by the carrier, effective January 1, 2026. Over the same period SCAN members gained access and PEBB UnitedHealthcare Medicare Advantage contracts were renewed. It moved in more than one direction.
Does this affect my Medicare Supplement?
No. Medicare Supplement, sometimes called Medigap, works alongside Original Medicare rather than through a plan network. Network exits like this one are a Medicare Advantage issue. If you carry Original Medicare with a supplement, a hospital leaving an Advantage network does not change your access.
What about 2027?
As of September 7, 2026 I have not seen a MultiCare announcement about 2027 network arrangements. I am not going to guess at it. When plan information for 2027 becomes public in October, that is the point to check your specific plan rather than assume this year's answer carries forward.
I am a retired state employee. Is my situation different?
It may be. PEBB retiree coverage is negotiated separately from plans sold on the open market, and PEBB Retiree UnitedHealthcare Medicare Advantage was reported as staying in network with MultiCare for 2026. Confirm your own status with the Health Care Authority or your plan before making any change.
Send me the card and your doctor list
I am a licensed independent agent. I am not MultiCare and I am not a call center. Before October 1 we go through what you have now, your providers, and your timing. After October 1 we can put that next to your options for the following year. There is no cost to you for the review.
Network arrangements change. I will update this page when MultiCare or the carriers post 2027 information. Last checked September 7, 2026.
Disclaimer: American Senior Choices is not affiliated with or endorsed by the U.S. government or the federal Medicare program. We do not offer every plan available in your area. Currently we represent 5 organizations which offer 33 products in your area. Please contact Medicare.gov or 1-800-MEDICARE to get information on all of your options.