SAINT PAUL, Minn. -- As part of its broader focus to improve the long-term sustainability of high quality and affordable health care, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota (Blue Cross) today announced that supportive care services from Livio Health will be expanded to include approximately 100,000 additional Blue Cross members.
Access to Livio Health services – which support people with serious illness – is now available to Blue Cross' fully insured commercial members in the Twin Cities metro area at no additional cost. This includes plans offered to individuals and families (both on and off MNsure); small employers; and many large employers.
This marks the second time that Blue Cross has expanded coverage to provide access to Livio Health services. In June 2019, Blue Cross tapped Livio Health's team of nurse practitioners, medical social workers, chaplains, and nurse care coordinators to deliver patient-centered, in-home care at no cost to around 50,000 Medicare Advantage members.
"Livio has proven to be an invaluable, compassionate partner in our efforts to improve the health and happiness of our Medicare Advantage members and we look forward to expanding this offering to our commercial population," said Dr. Craig Samitt, president and CEO at Blue Cross. "The option to receive care outside of a clinical setting is even more significant during a pandemic. When one of our members is diagnosed with a serious illness, we know we can rely on Livio to provide safe and appropriate care that can seamlessly align within their health journey."
The services Livio provides to Blue Cross members include 24/7 medical support for urgent needs, remote symptom monitoring, pain management, caregiver support, advance care planning and more. The option to receive these supportive care services from the comfort and safety of home is of special significance for those with mobility issues or who are immunocompromised.
Livio's care model is focused on fostering relationships between clinicians and patients built over time, which provides a foundation for addressing short-term and acute needs, as well as long-term care planning. The average number of visits Livio has with patients is one to two v per month, with increased options for via phone or video support during the COVID-19 pandemic. By meeting more frequently with patients, care teams establish trust with their patients and guide them in conversations about what they want their future health care to look like.
"As Livio's partnership with Blue Cross continues to grow, we are excited by the vision and passion we see throughout their entire organization," said A.R. Weiler, chief executive officer at Livio Health. "We are committed to assisting Blue Cross in its efforts to reimagine and reinvent health care in a more effective and affordable way."
Blue Cross and Livio plan to use learnings and best practices from this collaboration to explore expansion of Livio's supportive care model to other populations in the future.
About Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota
Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota, with headquarters in the St. Paul suburb of Eagan, was chartered in 1933 as Minnesota's first health plan and continues to carry out its charter mission today: to promote a wider, more economical and timely availability of health services for the people of Minnesota. A nonprofit, taxable organization, Blue Cross is the largest health plan based in Minnesota, covering 2.9 million members in Minnesota and nationally through its health plans or plans administered by its affiliated companies. Blue Cross® and Blue Shield® of Minnesota and Blue Plus® is an independent licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association, headquartered in Chicago.
About Livio Health
Livio Health provides supportive medical care for people with serious illness through in-home, phone and video visits. Livio's care teams work alongside specialists and primary care teams to provide care tailored to patients' values and aspirations. Livio gives patients access to 24/7 medical support and a team of experts, including physicians, nurse practitioners, social workers, chaplains, and nurses. At Livio, we help patients and families focus on more good days.