VIRTUAL CARE IS HERE TO STAY: BLUE SHIELD OF CALIFORNIA'S VIRTUAL BLUE PROGRAM DELIVERS IMPROVED ACCESS, MORE AFFORDABLE HEALTH CARE, HIGH PATIENT SATISFACTION
Three years after launch, the program has surpassed 150,000 members, delivering often same-day access to care with $0 out-of-pocket costs for virtual visits with virtual-only providers.
OAKLAND, Calif., April 2, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Three years after launching its flagship, virtual-first care program, Blue Shield of California today announced that Virtual Blue has shown compelling results around healthcare access, affordability and customer satisfaction. The program has surpassed 150,000 members, reflecting strong and growing demand for convenient, affordable and high‑quality virtual care.
Introduced in 2023 together with Accolade and TeleMed2U, Virtual Blue offers convenient access to a diverse team of virtual primary care, behavioral health and specialist providers.
"Virtual Blue has been a win for members, employers and our Blue Shield mission," said Tim Lieb, senior vice president of growth at Blue Shield of California. "Members can get appointments faster and save on out-of-pocket costs; employers can offer more equitable access regardless of demographics; and as a nonprofit health plan, we're advancing our commitment to high‑quality, affordable care for all Californians."
Improved access and experience
Virtual Blue members receive integrated care — not episodic telehealth — across primary care, behavioral health and specialty providers on one platform, supported by a coordinated team and dedicated health coach who helps manage follow-ups, labs and referrals if in-person care is needed or preferred. Appointments are often available same-day or next-day, including evenings and weekends, through the Blue Shield app.
Virtual Blue visit average wait times significantly outperform statewide in-person averages across California health plans, based on data reported by the California Department of Managed Health Care:
- Primary care and mental health: 1 day vs. 10 days for in-person care
- Specialty care: 3 days vs. 15 days for in-person appointments
Additional highlights:
- 85% of virtual primary care visits for Virtual Blue members include behavioral health screenings
- 55% of Virtual Blue members, or over half, have at least one chronic condition and engage virtual care to meet their higher-touch needs, including condition management, care coordination and ongoing support — this represents 74% of total virtual care utilization
In Virtual Blue member post-visit surveys, Virtual Blue's virtual physicians earned a Net Promoter Score (NPS) of 89 out of 100 in 2024, a standard measurement of overall customer satisfaction.
More affordable health care
In its first few years, compared to equivalent membership without Virtual Blue, Virtual Blue utilization has delivered promising results including*:
- 7–10% lower overall cost of care, averaging $468 less per member per year
- Emergency room visits reduced by more than 10% (11‑percentage‑point drop in emergency department claims)
- 60% of members surveyed report they would have used costlier care, such as urgent care or the emergency room, or delayed care without Virtual Blue
- Unlimited, $0 out-of-pocket cost virtual visits
Choice-based, accessible care for all
Virtual Blue members choose their virtual doctor, with providers trained in virtual care and educated at top U.S. medical schools. About 70% identify as female and 50% as people of color, and all are trained in LGBTQIA+ care. Care is available through translation services in more than 25 languages.
The Virtual Blue program has expanded healthcare access for rural areas, including school employees in Health Professional Shortage Areas (HPSAs), and for national employers seeking consistent, high-quality care for out-of-state workers.
The program has also created a reliable way for members to stay connected to care during increasingly common environment-driven disasters, like wildfires, while minimizing environmental impacts.
"Virtual‑first care expands access and bridges critical care gaps," said Dr. Carol Koeble, regional medical director at Blue Shield of California, who provides clinical leadership for the Virtual Blue program. "It supports busy families, shift workers, those with mobility challenges, and people living in areas with provider shortages or disaster risks — and everyone in between."
Expanding virtual-first care
Building on Virtual Blue's success, Blue Shield recently added virtual primary care options to its Trio HMO plan, bringing virtual care to individual marketplace members across California. Additionally, Blue Shield will continue adding Virtual Blue as an option to more group employer plans over the next several months.
Virtual care is here to stay — an essential part of Blue Shield's strategy to ensure all members have access to high-quality care at a sustainably affordable price.
For more information, and our latest virtual care news, visit Virtual Blue. Commercial groups interested in offering Virtual Blue to employees can visit here.
About Blue Shield of California
Blue Shield of California strives to create a healthcare system worthy of its family and friends that is sustainably affordable. The health plan is a taxpaying, nonprofit, independent member of the Blue Shield Association with 6 million members, over 6,500 employees and more than $27 billion in annual revenue. Founded in 1939 in San Francisco and now headquartered in Oakland, Blue Shield of California and its affiliates provide health, dental, vision, Medicaid and Medicare healthcare service plans in California. The company has contributed more than $60 million to the Blue Shield of California Foundation in the last three years to have an impact on California communities. For more news about Blue Shield of California, please visit news.blueshieldca.com. Or follow us on LinkedIn or Facebook.
*Data is based on the most recent available information, including member usage and satisfaction data from 2023 and 2024 analyzed by Blue Shield of California's Data Insights Team and reviewed by Actuarial, as well as Accolade virtual care appointment data.
Contact: Mark Seelig
Blue Shield of California
415-607-2359
[email protected]
SOURCE Blue Shield of California
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