Vera Whole Health Addresses Primary Care Crisis in Virginia By Expanding Access for Anthem Members

RICHMOND, Va., June 6, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Vera Whole Health recently opened its first advanced primary care center in Richmond, Virginia, after a recent study identified the Commonwealth as experiencing a primary care physician (PCP) shortage. In an agreement with Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Virginia, Vera Whole Health will provide greater access to quality primary care for Anthem members enrolled in commercial plans.

According to a 2024 study published by the Cicero Institute, Virginia ranks in the bottom half of the states for primary care and physician availability. By 2030, Virginia is projected to be short 3,911 doctors. Anthem's approach to healthcare focuses on treating the whole person, rather than specific symptoms, and begins with a solid relationship between a member and his/her PCP.

The primary care solution provided by Vera Whole Health integrates with Anthem benefits ecosystem and programs – making these elements more cohesive to help Anthem members improve their health outcomes and reduce total cost of care. Vera Whole Health will deliver a personalized, whole person primary care experience that is truly designed for members – more time with their dedicated care team; expanded access through same- and next-day appointment availability, including in-person and virtual options; proactive health alerts and updates on upcoming needs or care recommendations.

"Our members cite challenges in obtaining an appointment for primary care in a reasonable amount of time and, as their healthcare partner, we are stepping in to help solve the problem," said Monica Schmude, President of Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield in Virginia. "We want our members to have a primary care physician (PCP) relationship, and we do not support care being delayed due to access challenges. This collaboration is a step forward in our commitment to making proactive healthcare a priority for our members."

Vera Whole Health combines navigation with high-quality primary care into a first-of-its-kind solution for the commercial market. By aggregating a vast amount of data through its technology platform, Vera Whole Health delivers personalized outreach to engage members most in need of high-quality primary care. Once engaged, a dedicated and integrated care team of primary care providers, behavioral health clinicians, health coaches, and care managers surround each member, building trusted relationships that increase the number of touchpoints aimed at improving health outcomes.

"At Vera Whole Health, we believe care should be built around trust and collaboration. This new care center exemplifies our mission—working hand-in-hand with Anthem to engage patients as active partners in their health journey while delivering truly personalized, high-value care," said Jim Cullinan, Vice President of Anthem Partnership, Vera Whole Health.

Anthem members have access to care at the Vera Whole Health Care Center located at 3810 West Broad Street, Suite 104, in Richmond.

About Vera Whole Health
Founded in 2008, Vera Whole Health is leading the shift to value-based care using an advanced primary care model that delivers a superior experience, providing longer appointments, same or next-day access, and both in-person and virtual care. By integrating data-driven insights and multifunctional care teams, Vera improves health outcomes, reduces total cost of care and consistently achieves a best-in-class member experience. Vera currently owns and operates care centers in 11 states across the U.S. In 2022, Vera merged with Castlight to create apree health family of brands. In 2024, apree health became a business unit of Mosaic Health. For more information, visit my.verawholehealth.com.

About Mosaic Health
Mosaic Health is a national care delivery platform focused on expanding access to comprehensive primary care for consumers with coverage across Commercial, Individual Exchange, Medicare and Medicaid health plans. The Business Units which comprise Mosaic Health, including apree health, Millennium Physician Group and Carelon Health, are multi-payer and serve nearly one million consumers across 19 states, providing them with access to high-quality primary care, integrated care teams, personalized navigation, expanded digital access and specialized services for higher-need populations. Through Mosaic Health, health plans and employers have an even stronger care provider partner that delivers affordability and superior experiences for their members and employees, including value-based primary care capacity integrated with digital patient engagement and navigation. Each of the companies within Mosaic Health provide unique offerings that together promise to improve individuals' health and wellbeing, while helping care providers deliver higher-quality care. For more information, please visit www.mosaichealth.com or follow Mosaic Health on LinkedIn.

About Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield
Anthem Health Plans of Virginia, Inc. trades as Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield in Virginia, and its service area is all of Virginia except for the City of Fairfax, the Town of Vienna, and the area east of State Route 123. Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield and its affiliate HealthKeepers, Inc. are independent licensees of the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association. ANTHEM is a registered trademark of Elevance Health. The Blue Cross and Blue Shield names and symbols are registered marks of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association. Additional information about Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield in Virginia is available at www.anthem.com. Also, follow us at @AnthemBCBS on X, on Facebook, and on LinkedIn.

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SOURCE apree health