UMP PEBB | Telemedicine benefits

Telemedicine (virtual care)

Virtual care—having an appointment with a health care provider over video chat—lets you get the care you need when you need it. UMP offers three types of virtual care: Doctor On Demand, Telemedicine, and Advice24.

Doctor On Demand is a virtual care service that gives UMP Classic, UMP Select, and UMP Consumer-Directed Health Plan (CDHP) members 24/7 access to providers. Doctor On Demand covers primary care and behavioral health services. Providers review your history and symptoms, perform exams, and recommend treatment, which may include prescription drugs and lab work. Doctor On Demand does not include the use of audio-only telephone, fax, or email.

Telemedicine is a delivery of health care services through video chat, allowing real-time communication between the patient at the originating site and a provider, for the purpose of diagnosis, consultation, or treatment. Telemedicine includes audio-only telemedicine. Telemedicine does not include the use of fax or email.

Advice24 is a toll-free, 24/7 nurse line that provides immediate support for everyday health issues and questions that otherwise might lead to unnecessary doctor or emergency room visits. It also can serve as an early warning system to flag health conditions before they become serious.

 When to use Doctor On Demand

A Doctor On Demand telemedicine appointment is a good option for when you need medical attention, but not emergency room or urgent care. Consider using it when you or someone in your family has a nonemergency health need and:

  • You can't get in right away with your provider
  • It's after hours, or a holiday
  • You need care, but don't want to leave home or work
  • You're traveling*

*Some states limit virtual care services. Check your Doctor On Demand availability when you request an appointment.

Care for common conditions

Doctor On Demand can provide treatment for many conditions affecting the mind and body. Here are some of the top ones:

  • Mental health: Depression, anxiety, and ADHD
  • Flu, coughs, and bronchitis
  • Sinus infections
  • Urinary tract infections (UTIs)

Doctor On Demand cost

A Doctor On Demand telemedicine appointment usually costs less than an in-person visit, and all Doctor On Demand doctors are considered preferred providers. Services are paid at the standard rate as described in your plan’s certificate of coverage.

Getting started

Register with Doctor On Demand now so that when you actually need care, you're ready. You can activate Doctor On Demand by signing into your Regence account or by downloading the app for iOS, Android, or Windows. If a member is age 18 and older, they create their own Doctor on Demand account even if they are not the subscriber. If a member is under age 18, they cannot have a separate account. A parent or guardian will need to login in order for them to access their profile.

To register for Doctor On Demand:
1. Click Join Now.
2. Create an account by entering your email, date of birth, and password, agree to the terms and agreements, and click Create Account.
3. Set up your profile by entering your first name, last name, phone number, and gender, and click Continue.
4. Set up your health insurance by searching for Regence BlueShield and selecting only Regence BlueShield.
Note: Do not select any other Regence results. There is not an option to select Uniform Medical Plan (UMP) at this time.
5. Have your UMP member ID card handy. Enter your Member ID. You must enter all letters and numbers with no spaces. Enter your Group ID.
6. Once you receive an ‘Insurance added’ message on your screen, click "Okay, Great!"

When you're ready for care, search for a doctor based on specialty, language, gender, or "next available." Doctor On Demand will connect you to a doctor right away, or you can schedule an appointment for a time that's convenient for you.

 When to use your plan's telemedicine benefit

You may access health care services through video chat, allowing real-time communication between the patient at the originating site and a provider for the purpose of diagnosis, consultation, or treatment. UMP's telemedicine benefit allows health care providers to share patient medical information like lab reports, imaging, and other records with a doctor, radiologist, or specialist at another location. It uses technology that has security features to ensure patient confidentiality.

It's an efficient way for patients, primary care providers, and specialists to collaborate because they can all review the information when it is convenient for them. The approach gives you access to a care team that can be made up of providers in different locations, even across long distances.

You can access telemedicine benefits from a hospital, rural health clinic, provider's office, community mental health center, federally qualified health center, skilled nursing facility, home (or any location determined by the individual receiving the service), and renal dialysis centers (except independent renal dialysis centers). See your plan’s certificate of coverage for more details.

 When to use Advice24

You're not feeling well and you're not sure what to do. Your doctor's office is closed. Should you go to urgent care? The emergency room? Wait it out? It's hard to know what to do. UMP members have access to Advice24 Nurse Triage. Registered nurses are available by phone 24 hours a day, 7 days a week at no cost to you. Registered nurses provide immediate symptom assessment, health information, and advice. They can help you decide if you need to go to the emergency room, see a doctor either virtually or in-person, or care for your symptoms at home. UMP members can call the nurse line at 1-877-375-2599 (TRS: 711). Note: UMP Plus–UW Medicine ACN members can call the nurse line at 1-888-402-4237 (TRS: 711).

 Mobile provider services

Certain areas have mobile provider services available for urgent care or primary care. See more information on the Provider webpage.

 Virtual behavioral health providers and support tools

Virtual therapy can be more comfortable than going in person, and it can also be a faster way to get care. Many behavioral health providers offer virtual appointments. To find providers in your network, register or sign in to your regence.com account and select Get care now, then select Find behavioral health support. You can then select Find a behavioral health provider or In-network virtual care.

When you see a network virtual behavioral health provider, services are paid at the network rate. If you see an out-of-network provider, telemedicine services are paid at the out-of-network rate. See the “Summary of services and payments” section in your plan’s certificate of coverage for more details.

Doctor on Demand is a separate company that provides telehealth services.