Health Payer Unveils Virtual Care Plan, Telehealth Care Access

Community Health Choice announced the launch of Virtual Bronze last week, the first virtual primary care plan available on the Texas health insurance exchange designed to give comprehensive coverage via telehealth at a low price point to Texans who do not qualify for Medicaid or Medicare.

“Our mission is to improve the health and well-being of underserved Texans and our new plan offering in partnership with Doctor On Demand gives us a brand new avenue to do that,” said Lisa Wright, president and CEO of Community Health Choice. “We couldn’t be happier to offer this new virtual plan, improving access to quality, comprehensive care while keeping costs affordable for our members.”

The HMO plan gives eligible Texans and their families access to an array of virtual care services through Doctor On Demand healthcare technology.

Each patient will have a dedicated primary care provider as well as access to preventive care, urgent care, and behavioral health appointments via telehealth.

Patients will also have access to 24/7 support through a dedicated care team, as well as referrals to in-network providers, facilities, specialists, and Community Health Choice programs.

The Virtual Bronze care has the lowest premiums of all Community Health Choice plans, however it has the highest out-of-pocket costs.

This announcement follows a year in healthcare that was nearly entirely defined by telehealth care access. The onset of the novel coronavirus forced many providers to shutter their doors and made some patients fearful of seeking in-person care. Telehealth proved a key tool in circumventing those challenges and keeping patients connected to their care.

This latest move from Community Health Choice aligns with similar efforts across the payer industry to cement telehealth as a key care access modality.

UnitedHealthcare (UHC) is another private payer that is promoting virtual care utilization. On January 1, UHC expanded its virtual care service so more members have care access to telehealth as an alternative to in-person appointments. Members of fully insured and self-insured employer health plans are eligible for the offering.

“The UnitedHealthcare Virtual Primary Care service and updated policy helps expand the use of virtual care from delivering care to people who are sick, to now also focusing on preventing and detecting disease before it starts and, if needed, helping people more conveniently manage certain chronic conditions,” said Anne Docimo, MD, chief medical officer of UnitedHealthcare.

“As more people and care providers move to a digital-first mindset, UnitedHealthcare will continue to modernize our approach to health benefits and invest in new ways to use technology to help make it more convenient for our members to access primary care and other types of medical services,” Docimo continued.

UHC partnered with a national telehealth provider group to offer this option. Members can use a mobile device or a computer to access virtual care.

For instance, members can set up an annual wellness visit or an appointment for minor sicknesses using virtual care, and they can receive follow-ups and checkups related to chronic conditions.

Members can also receive specialist referrals or order lab tests and see the results using virtual care that is accessible on their smartphone, tablet, or computer. Providers are also able to write out select prescriptions for the member through virtual care.

UHC added that members will shoulder little to zero cost-sharing in the Virtual Primary Care service.