Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota names Doctor On Demand as preferred telehealth destination

Eagan, Minnesota – September 1st, 2015 – As part of its ongoing commitment to expand covered health care delivery options, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota (Blue Cross) has announced Doctor On Demand as the company’s preferred telehealth service provider, starting in 2016.

Based in San Francisco, Doctor On Demand provides immediate access to Board Certified physicians or next-day appointments with psychologists from any smartphone, tablet or computer. Doctor On Demand physicians can treat most common non-emergency medical issues through live, face-to-face video visits. Through partnerships with some of the nation’s top health systems, the Doctor On Demand network has grown to include thousands of medical professionals nationwide. 

Beginning January 1, 2016, a Doctor On Demand video visit will be the most affordable and convenient telehealth option for Blue Cross members, as an extension of the provider network. Once a member creates an account with Doctor On Demand, the service provides real-time benefits eligibility and claims processing specific to their plan. Members also have the option to set up automatic payment through their Health Savings Account, Flexible Spending Account or major credit card. These features, designed to bring the same type of administrative efficiencies from a traditional office visit to the telehealth space, will be available to Blue Cross members only through Doctor On Demand. A standard medical visit costs $40 and behavioral health visits range from $50 for a 25-minute session to $95 for a 50-minute session. Depending on the patient’s health plan, all or some of these costs may be covered.

“Doctor On Demand is an innovator in telehealth with easy to use technology and national access to high quality medical and behavioral health services,” said Garrett Black, senior vice president of health collaboration and provider relations at Blue Cross. “Our focus on providing convenient, high quality care to all of our members, whether they are in rural or metro areas, is brought to life through the services provided by Doctor On Demand. Doctor On Demand delivers on what our customers told us they wanted from telehealth  – more available health care services, an easy to use experience and a cost-effective solution available on mobile technology.”

“We are pleased that Blue Cross has chosen Doctor On Demand as their preferred telehealth service provider,” said Adam Jackson, co-founder and CEO of Doctor On Demand. “We built Doctor On Demand to provide the easiest, most convenient access to some of the best physicians in the country and look forward to helping more Minnesotans get the care they need. Starting next year, we will be offering our no subscription fee model to key Blue Cross commercial customers.”

Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota is the first Blues plan to select Doctor On Demand as a preferred provider of telehealth services. The Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association has named Doctor On Demand as an officially approved nationwide telehealth vendor.