A letter to our community

Update on Regence Contract

May 6, 2026

By Merrin Permut, Vice President & Chief Population Health Officer 

I am happy to share that Legacy has reached an agreement on a new contract with Regence effective retroactively to April 1, 2026. Any Legacy services provided since that date and going forward will be processed as in-network. Regence members can once again access all Legacy hospitals, clinics and services, as well as Legacy GoHealth Urgent Care centers, at in-network rates and benefits.

Reaching this agreement keeps patients from having to pay more money out of pocket for services at Legacy and ensures that patients can access the care they need. 
 
We appreciate Regence’s partnership with us to reach a reasonable agreement that supports their members, our patients and the long-term sustainability of healthcare in Oregon. As we have shared throughout this process, hospitals across our country continue to face significant pressure from rising costs and historically low insurance reimbursement rates. At Legacy, our costs have increased 47% over the past five years. While we have taken meaningful steps to address this—improving efficiency, reducing expenses by nearly $40 million and making difficult but necessary workforce and service adjustments, we cannot overcome these challenges alone.  
 
This new contract recognizes the high-quality accessible care Legacy delivers within our communities, and while it does not completely close our financial gap, it more effectively responds to the increased operating costs and reflects our shared commitment and responsibility to our patients. 
 
We recognize this situation may have caused additional stress and we appreciate your patience. We remain committed to being here for our patients and communities who trust us to provide high-quality care from providers they trust. 

Merrin Permut, MHA
Vice President and Chief Population Health Officer
Legacy Health