UCR Health will offer managed health care to employees in January, a continuation of its efforts to increase access to medical care in the region.
Employees and retirees will be able to sign up for the Blue & Gold medical plan during Open Enrollment beginning Oct. 30.
UCR Health, the healthcare provider component of the School of Medicine, already sees more than 45,000 patients annually through its clinics.
The expansion of its clinical footprint involves a planned medical complex on a 21-acre site in Riverside that will include an outpatient diagnostic center expected to open in 2029.
UCR Health’s expansion plans are a response to the Inland Empire’s population growth and an acute shortage of primary and specialty-care physicians, said Tim Collins, its chief executive officer. The region has the lowest ratio of patients to physicians and hospital beds and has seen some medical centers close programs, creating barriers to care, he said.
“The bright light, as we move forward, is UC’s recognition that something needs to be done,” Collins said. “This includes an investment in the service area to meet these needs for the future of California.”
UCR Health plans to create an integrated network of providers in Riverside and San Bernardino counties that will grow over time as enrollment increases.
“The Blue & Gold plan is designed specifically for UCR employees and retirees by tailoring a network of providers and locations to their needs,” Collins said.
For instance, providers have been geographically chosen to cover sub-regions that are a short distance from where employees live. Physicians have been vetted by clinical leaders at the School of Medicine along with other quantitative and qualitative factors to “make sure we’re bringing on the best providers for our patients,” Collins said.
The network will include specialists catering to the specific needs of patients and will evolve continually to meet future needs. Employees will also have access to specialists through partner networks at UC Irvine, UCLA, and UC San Diego.
Through UCR Health’s online portal, patients will be able to directly contact physicians, check on their referrals when choosing one, access their medical records, see test results, refill prescriptions, and schedule appointments.
“The Blue & Gold program offers UCR Health an opportunity to control health costs, adapting and adjusting while planning out for the future,” Collins said.
The future expansion also serves the School of Medicine’s mission of creating the next generation of physicians by providing more clinics and a future medical complex where students can do their residencies and pursue careers in the region, Collins said.
“Our goal is to create a network where we can listen and resource appropriately, build additional infrastructure, engage our employees, put resources in the locations that they need them in, and then build for the future,” he said.
To learn more about UCR Health’s partner network, read patient testimonials, and find a doctor, visit: www.ucrhealth.org/uc-blue-gold/
Reach UCR Health’s employee concierge line at 1-855-UCRHBNG (827-4264).
