Insurer in Pacific Northwest broadens case management for cancer care

Mountlake Terrace, Wash.-based Premera Blue Cross is expanding its case management resources for cancer care, according to a Jan. 6 news release.

The patient navigation program, called Premera Cancer Support, relies on a partnership with Thyme Care, an oncology startup that focuses on value-based arrangements.

Premera’s Personal Health Support program offers free individualized support to members facing complex health scenarios. Premera Cancer Support depends on Thyme Care’s virtual navigation and support resources, which includes access to oncology-trained professionals for assistance. The team of clinicians, social workers and care navigators answer questions about clinical concerns, identify specialists for second opinions, facilitate mental health and urgent care support, connect members with resources to ease other barriers, and help caregivers.

All self-funded Premera plans have access to this case management as of Jan. 1.

“Studies show patient navigation programs like Premera Cancer Support positively impact both the quality of cancer treatment and patient satisfaction,” Premera Chief Medical Officer Romilla Batra, MD, said in the statement. “This new program means our members have a strong, personalized support system to walk alongside them during a complex, and frankly scary, diagnosis so they can focus on healing.”

In recent years, there has been a national push toward advancing cancer care navigation tools. In 2024, the White House shared that a handful of insurers and 40 cancer centers committed to building out patient navigation services as part of President Joe Biden’s Cancer Moonshot initiative. While Premera did not join that effort, the involved payers covered more than 150 million individuals at the time. That same year, the American Cancer Society launched a training and credentialing program for oncology organizations to standardize these services.