OREANDA-NEWS. A.M. Best has affirmed the financial strength rating (FSR) of A- (Excellent) and the issuer credit ratings (ICR) of “a-” of Premera Blue Cross (Premera) and its subsidiaries, LifeWise Assurance Company and LifeWise Health Plan of Washington (all companies are domiciled in Mountlake Terrace, WA). The outlook for each rating is stable.

A.M. Best also has downgraded the FSR to B++ (Good) from A- (Excellent) and the ICR to “bbb” from “a-” for LifeWise Health Plan of Oregon, Inc. (LifeWise OR) (Portland, OR), a subsidiary of Premera. The outlook for each rating has been revised to negative from stable.