Blue Shield of California’s Virtual Blue plan continues to see positive results for enrolled members, including an overall 7% to 10% reduction in the cost of care, the insurer said. announced Thursday.
The first virtual program, which was first launched in 2023 in collaboration with Accolade and TeleMed2U, has more than 150,000 members to date. It allows members to access a host of virtual health services at no additional cost, as well as receive care from providers in the Blue Shield PPO network.
Blue Shield of California Senior Vice President of Commercial Markets Tim Lieb said in a statement that the platform has been a “win for members, employers and our Blue Shield mission.”
“Members can get appointments faster and save on out-of-pocket costs; employers can offer more equitable access regardless of demographics; and as a nonprofit health plan, we are advancing our commitment to high-quality, affordable care for all Californians,” Lieb said.
The insurer said average wait times for the program “significantly exceed” state in-person averages across California, citing data from the California Department of Managed Care. Members who sought primary care had to wait one day compared to patients who waited 10 days for in-person care. Specialty care also saw a reduction in wait time: three days for Virtual Blue versus 15 days for in-person care.
Additionally, emergency room visits have decreased by more than 10% among Virtual Blue members; 60% of members say they would have turned to more expensive care, like the emergency room, without the plan.
Virtual Blue has also expanded access to healthcare in rural areas, the insurer notes.
As the program continues to show benefits for members, the insurer recently added virtual primary care options to its Trio HMO plan. It also plans to continue adding Virtual Blue as an option to “more employer group plans over the coming months.”
“Virtual-first care expands access and closes gaps in critical care,” Carol Koeble, MD, regional medical director for Blue Shield of California, said in a statement. “It supports busy families, shift workers, people with mobility issues, and people living in areas with provider shortages or disaster risk, and everyone in between.”
