Video: Faster, clearer medical bills put patients at the forefront of healthcare innovation
The bottom line: This article and video explains a new, innovative pilot program at Blue Shield California that will improve the way medical claims are paid and simplify billing for patients and doctors.
Blue Shield of California (Blue Shield) is taking a bold, innovative step to simplify the patient experience by launching a pilot program that will increase the speed in which medical claims are paid.
“Everything is paid for when you leave”
The objective of the 12-month payment pilot program is to have claims sent out within days instead of weeks, with the ultimate goal of having claims paid before a member leaves the provider’s office. Blue Shield members will see a simplified bill and how much they owe for services. As Blue Shield CEO Paul Markovich puts it: “It’s like checking out at the grocery store… everything is paid for when you leave.”
First of its kind payment system
The real-time claims payment system is a collaboration between Blue Shield of California and OODA Health Inc. (OODA), a San Francisco based healthcare technology startup. The system is based on a cloud software platform. The pilot program is considered a human-centered approach to make things easier for the patient by eliminating confusing statements by providing the following:
- Faster bill delivery
- Easy to read explanation of benefits (EOB) forms
- Clearer bill statements provided at the conclusion of a doctor’s appointment
In addition to improving the patient experience. The pilot will simplify bill collecting for providers by reducing administrative costs and allowing physicians more time to spend with patients.
Transforming healthcare
Blue Shield leaders call it an on-going effort to transform healthcare in the digital age. Watch this video to see how innovation and clear billing can be a model for what health care will look like in the future.
Blue Shield of California is an independent licensee of the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association, an association of independent, locally operated Blue Cross and Blue Shield companies. Click here for more news about Blue Shield of California. OODA Health Inc. (OODA) is an independent healthcare startup working in collaboration with Blue Shield of California.