Blue Cross uses longstanding statewide collaborations to facilitate COVID‑19 response

Because of collaborations already in place through Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan’s Value Partnerships platform, we’ve been able to quickly assemble health care providers statewide and give them a forum to share best practices for dealing with the COVID‑19 pandemic. Information sharing is helping to keep physicians and other health leaders updated on issues related to patient testing, lab operations and other protocols.

“Our team has been working relentlessly with the state health department, laboratories and the greater provider community to try to iron out logistics issues in test processing,” said Faris Ahmad, M.D., medical director at Blue Cross. “We’re issuing ongoing updates, using teleconferencing, webinars and website posts.”

Within 48 hours of the pandemic’s arrival in Michigan, a previously scheduled daylong Physician Group Incentive Program quarterly meeting in March was converted into a webinar with over 300 participants representing providers across the state. The webinar featured various clinical leaders from Blue Cross as well as representatives from the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services who took the opportunity to address the health care community about the COVID‑19 outbreak.

“I would like to applaud BCBSM for leveraging the digital world to connect physicians and their physician organizations to representatives from MDHHS to learn the latest on dealing with COVID‑19,” said attendee Marie Hooper, executive director of Northern Physicians Organization. “Even though it would have been much easier to cancel the PGIP meeting, BCBSM revised the agenda and had all of us gather virtually to share and learn from the providers who are closest to the patients. The venue provided an exchange of information between BCBSM leadership, MDHHS and the participants so we could all benefit from the shared learning.”

Another concern was the added strain to test and care for patients with COVID‑19, which can pose a financial risk to practices and a health risk to medical office staff.

To cushion the financial burden and help practices prepare for the public health threats of the coronavirus, Blue Cross accelerated payments to Michigan-based physician organizations and practices to support their efforts to treat patients with COVID‑19. Additionally, Blue Cross also temporarily relaxed a variety of its administrative requirements to allow Michigan’s physician organizations and health systems to spend more time treating patients.

“We are tapping into our statewide connections and leveraging our network to help providers address what has rapidly becoming a major public health challenge,” said Thomas Leyden, director of Value Partnerships at Blue Cross. “The accelerated payments have greatly assisted PGIP physician organizations and their physician practices as they try to manage increased demand for care while at the same time procuring the necessary personal protective equipment for their physician practices.”

The Value Partnerships team is continuing to host weekly meetings during the COVID‑19 public health crisis to share the latest information, support providers and provide a forum for physicians to share best practices.

To learn more about Value Partnerships, visit valuepartnerships.com.

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