Virtual Primary Care: An optional benefit for Blue Cross commercial members starting Jan. 1

As part of an array of virtual care solutions we’re offering our members, we’re introducing a program called Virtual Primary Care to select Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan members.

Starting Jan. 1, 2024, Virtual Primary Care will be available to all Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan fully insured commercial members (and family members on their plan who are 18 and older) and as a buy-up option for other groups. The offering will be supported by Teladoc Health^®, an independent company that has contracted with Blue Cross to provide virtual primary care solutions.

Unlike the Blue Care Network virtual primary care plan, which is considered a health plan product, the Blue Cross commercial solution is an optional benefit that some members may decide to use. Most of the members expected to use this benefit are those who aren’t attributed to a primary care physician and who aren’t seeking in-person care.

“Our customers, particularly the employer groups I work with, recognize the importance of a primary care relationship,” said Dr. Gretchen Goltz, medical director, Provider Engagement, in a column in the November-December issue of Hospital and Physician Update. “Many of them want all their employees to establish a care relationship with a primary care provider. At Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan, we agree with that line of thinking. We know that our members who have a primary care doctor they see regularly for preventive health care and appropriate screenings have better overall health outcomes.”

With Virtual Primary Care, members will be able to select a board-certified primary care physician by logging in to their member account, clicking on Your Choices for Care and following the prompts to the Virtual Care tab. Medical visits are with a board-certified physician and are primarily delivered by video.

Patients can also communicate with their care team by phone or in-app messaging. Those who register for Teladoc Health and schedule a first appointment will receive a blood pressure monitor and cuff.

When necessary, Teladoc Health will refer patients to specialists for in-person care. They won’t call primary care practices to refer patients to in-person care, but if a patient needs to see a PCP in person, Teladoc Health will work with the patient to find appropriate care using our Find a Doctor search tool.

For more information about our virtual care solutions

• To learn more about Virtual Primary Care, check out this flyer.
• To see how Virtual Primary Care will be reflected in Benefit Explainer, see this article, also in this issue.
• To read about the BCN virtual primary care plan, see this page of the November-December 2022 issue of BCN Provider News.
• To read about how we’re transitioning Blue Cross Online Visits℠ to Virtual Care, see this article, also in this issue.