Virtual Care replacing Blue Cross Online Visits in January

Beginning in 2024, eligible Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan and Blue Care Network members will no longer use Blue Cross Online Visits℠ for virtual urgent and mental health care. On Jan. 1, 2024, all members with this benefit will use Virtual Care by Teladoc Health^®.

Virtual Care will be available through the Teladoc Health app and website, and by phone. Members will still have access to virtual urgent care 24/7 and mental health care by appointment, including evenings and weekends. 

We understand that many health care providers offer virtual visits directly through their office. We encourage providers who don’t offer virtual visits to their patients to consider recommending Virtual Care to the Blue Cross and BCN members who express interest in it. Starting on Jan. 1, you can direct them to bcbsm.com/virtualcare or to call 1-800-835-2362, 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

View our Virtual Care FAQ for more information.   

Urgent care

With Virtual Care, members have care when they need it. They can talk to a U.S. board-certified doctor when their primary care provider isn’t available about conditions such as:

• Sinus and respiratory infections
• Cold and flu
• Painful urination
• Eye irritation or redness
• Sore throat

Members can select 24/7 Care in the Teladoc Health app or call the above phone number for assistance and to schedule an appointment.

Mental health care

Members can select Mental Health in the Teladoc Health app to find and get care from licensed therapists and U.S. board-certified psychiatrists. They can also call 1-800-835-2362 to schedule an appointment. Visits are private and confidential, and provide ongoing support for stressful situations or issues such as grief, anxiety and depression.

Members can start scheduling appointments on Jan. 1. Visits are available from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. Eastern time, seven days a week. Psychotherapy with a psychologist or clinical social worker is available for members ages 13 and older, while members ages 18 and older can receive psychiatric services. Doctors don’t prescribe controlled substances.

We encourage mental health care providers to speak with their patients who have Blue Cross and BCN health coverage about this transition and assist them with mental health strategies and resources. Share with them the Blue Cross Behavioral Health website and let them know they can call the behavioral health phone number on the back of their member ID cards for more information or if they have a behavioral health need.

Members can also log in to their Blue Cross member account at bcbsm.com or through the mobile app to use Find Care and identify a mental health care provider they may want to see. Members can use Find Care to confirm if a Blue Cross provider offers virtual visits.

Virtual Care solutions

Virtual Care is part of an array of virtual care solutions Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan is offering to members. You can read about another solution, Virtual Primary Care, in this article that’s also in this issue of the newsletter. Virtual Primary Care is available to Blue Cross PPO members.

Teladoc Health^® is an independent company that provides Virtual Care Solutions for Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan and Blue Care Network.