Company History
In 1986, a group of insurance professionals set out to see if there was a better way to offer health insurance. The idea of "business as usual" didn't match their vision for serving members.

So Pacific Health & Life Insurance Company was created. The idea was simple. Provide quality, cost-effective health insurance. And more importantly, treat every customer with integrity, respect, and candor.

Pacific Health and Life opened operations in Bend, Oregon. The company's commitment to responsive customer service with a local flavor had great results. PH&L's traditional individual and group plans soon became a regional favorite. Statewide growth wasn't far behind. In fact, sales offices sprung up in Portland, Eugene, Pendleton, Medford and Klamath Falls.

By 1992, PH&L insured more than 64,000 Oregonians. Remaining flexible enough to meet members' needs remained its mission. While reforms continued to impact the insurance industry, PH&L 's commitment to "high touch" customer service just got stronger. As did the company's desire to offer members the freedom to make health care choices.

In August 1993, PH&L executives announced their decision to sell the company to a subsidiary of Blue Cross of Washington and Alaska. "Our primary consideration in this arrangement is for our members," said Ted Dicken then president and chief executive officer of PH&L. "This change will allow us to maintain our independence and personalized service. At the same time, it allows us to offer our customers the enhanced and competitive benefit options they've been asking for."

In 1994, PH&L became a Premera health plan. Premera is the regional "umbrella" that covers the relationships of affiliates in Washington, Oregon and Alaska. Results of the acquisition include enhanced health care products and a journey toward operational excellence. The regional strength of a larger plan plus the flexibility and local touch of the smaller company became a winning combination.

Another successful step on the journey was the July 1997 name change. Pacific Health and Life Insurance Company became LifeWise, A Premera Health Plan, Inc. The name change was one more way to show Oregonians that the homegrown PH&L had evolved into a health care company with a broader range of plans and options.

And evolve we have! Today LifeWise serves more than 150,000 members across Oregon. We remain dedicated to customer-focused service with a mission to provide peace of mind to our members about their health care.

Today, LifeWise, A Premera Health Plan, Inc., maintains corporate headquarters in Portland with operations located in Bend. LifeWise is part of the Premera family of health plans that serve more than 1.2 million residents in Oregon, Washington, and Alaska.

We provide peace of mind by