WOODLAND HILLS, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--For the first time in California, Spanish-speaking Anthem Blue Cross members have an easy and convenient way to see a doctor for non-emergency needs when their own doctor is not readily available. Members can now use their smartphone or tablet to have a live video visit with a US-based, board-certified doctor of their choice to discuss common health conditions in Spanish from home, work or wherever they happen to be as long as they have internet access. The doctors who see Anthem members using Cuidado Médico on LiveHealth Online can assess a member’s condition, provide a treatment plan and even send a prescription to the pharmacy if needed.
Spanish-speaking doctors using Cuidado Médico on LiveHealth Online can see patients from 7:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m. pacific time, 365-days a year, including holidays. In fact, Anthem members have online visits using LiveHealth Online as a covered benefit under their health plan which means the cost of the visit is the same or less than a primary office visit.
“Cuidado Médico on LiveHealth Online is just one of many ways Anthem is making getting quality health care more convenient for our Spanish speaking members,” said Brian Ternan, president of Anthem Blue Cross. “We all know how important it is to talk to a doctor in the language in which you’re most comfortable. Cuidado Médico on LiveHealth Online offers a secure way for our members to use their insurance plan and contact a Spanish speaking board-certified doctor via your smartphone or tablet.”
According to a 2013 Pew study, Latinos are among the most likely to go online using their smartphones.
California residents who do not have Anthem coverage or who have no coverage at all can also have access to Cuidado Médico on LiveHealth Online in Spanish for $49 per visit.
Online care, for non-emergency medical conditions, is more convenient and affordable than visit to the local urgent care clinic. Anthem members who have used LiveHealth Online reported that the service has helped them save two to three hours of time when they have a common health condition because they do not have to leave work or home to visit a doctor’s office or urgent care facility.
Members can initiate video visits from their home or workplace at any time through a smartphone or tablet by downloading the free LiveHealth Online app.
Patients use online care typically to communicate face-to-face with a doctor about colds, sinus infections, aches, sore throats, allergies, skin infections, rashes and more. Doctors do not prescribe for controlled substances or lifestyle drugs. A summary of each visit is created, and at the patient’s request, can be forwarded to their primary care doctor -- supporting continuity of care and collaboration among providers.
“LiveHealth Online represents a true shift in healthcare delivery by using technology to make healthcare easier and more consumer friendly,” said John Jesser, Anthem Blue Cross vice president of provider engagement strategy. “LiveHealth Online is having an unprecedented impact on the lives of Spanish speaking consumers in California. For the first time, thousands of Latino consumers have at their disposal the ability to visit with a doctor online in Spanish.”
LiveHealth Online can also lessen the burden on primary care doctors who are increasingly feeling the pressure from the growing doctor shortage. The Association of American Medical Colleges estimated that in 2015 the country would have 62,900 fewer doctors than needed. LiveHealth Online can help reduce wait time when trying to get in to a see a doctor. Getting care early on can help reduce the severity and duration of many typical illnesses such as the flu and infections.
About Anthem Blue Cross
Anthem Blue Cross is the trade name of Blue Cross of California. Anthem Blue Cross and Anthem Blue Cross Life and Health Insurance Company are independent licensees of the Blue Cross Association. ® ANTHEM is a registered trademark of Anthem Insurance Companies, Inc. The Blue Cross names and symbols are registered marks of the Blue Cross Association. Also follow us on Twitter at www.twitter.com/AskAnthem or www.twitter.com/AnthemPR_CA, on Facebook at www.facebook.com/AskAnthem.
About LiveHealth Online
LiveHealth Online is a communications tool that provides consumers with a convenient way to have video visit with a doctor, to receive treatment for common health conditions. Consumers can access board certified doctors through livehealthonline.com or on an iOS or Android smartphone or tablet using the free app. It is secure, private, easy-to-use and affordable. Consumers can have live, visits with their choice of doctors seven days a week, from 7 a.m. to 11:00 p.m. in Spanish, using two-way video conferencing, along with instant messaging. LiveHealth Online is the trade name of Health Management Corporation, a separate company, providing telehealth services on behalf of Anthem Blue Cross.
