Blue Cross Waives Copays for Retail Health Clinics

EAGAN, MN -- Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Minnesota is waiving copayments for health plan members who use retail health clinics.

The objective is to encourage plan members to use the retail clinics—which cost less than physician’s office visits, hospital emergency room or urgent care centers—for treatment of simple medical conditions, such as sore throats, ear infections and seasonal allergies, or to obtain routine vaccinations.

Retail clinics are typically staffed by physician’s assistants or nurse practitioners and are located in grocery stores, pharmacies or discount stores.

MP: Another example of market-based, market-driven health care reform that didn't require a government takeover of health care.