Cancer continues to be one of the fastest-growing drivers of healthcare costs. More working-age adults are being diagnosed, treatments are becoming more complex and expensive, and survivor populations continue to grow.

Health plans are looking for new ways to improve outcomes while managing rising costs. Increasingly, that means moving beyond point solutions and expanding access to comprehensive clinical cancer care.

That's why Independence Blue Cross (IBX) has partnered with Color to make Color's ASCO-Certified Virtual Cancer Clinic easily available to self-funded employers.

A different approach to cancer care

Powered by Color Medical's oncologist-led, 50-state medical group, Color's Virtual Cancer Clinic is the only virtual practice certified by the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO), the leading professional organization for cancer physicians. This designation validates a modern model of cancer care that expands access to quality, expert-led clinical care. 

Rather than focusing on one point in the cancer journey, Color’s Virtual Cancer Clinic provides cancer-specialized care from screening and early detection through active treatment and survivorship via Color Medical. Color establishes ongoing patient-provider relationships that allow its clinical team to intervene directly in care, helping reduce cancer costs while improving outcomes.

Today, Color's Virtual Cancer Clinic delivers:

• 20% member engagement 

• 77% higher screening adherence

• 66% faster time to diagnosis

• An average of $62,000 in savings per patient in treatment

Bringing expert cancer care to more people

Through the partnership, eligible IBX members will have access to clinical cancer care that works alongside their existing providers and local care networks.

Patients can access at-home cancer screening for cancers with established early detection guidelines, local screening services when additional testing is needed, and an oncologist-led medical team that works directly with treating physicians throughout diagnosis and active treatment.

Every patient receives Color’s multidisciplinary, oncologist-led review at key clinical decision points, including continuous tumor board review for every diagnosis. Color also provides survivorship care and return-to-work support as part of standard care, helping patients long after treatment ends.

Why health plans are making this shift

"Health plans and employers consistently identify cancer as a top concern, with diagnoses among working-age adults rising, treatment costs spiking, and survivor populations growing significantly," said Caroline Savello, President of Color.

"Partnering with forward-thinking health plans like IBX is critical because it allows us to proactively address the challenges posed by cancer across large populations. Color's clinical approach to screening, treatment, and survivorship has been proven to drive down costs while improving the quality of care for patients."

IBX echoed that focus in announcing the partnership.

"At Independence Blue Cross (IBX), our comprehensive strategy prioritizes early detection with preventive care, supports members who are diagnosed across the full cancer journey, and balances cost management with access to the latest treatments. After evaluating the cancer care landscape, IBX determined that Color was the right partner to complement our existing cancer management programs and contribute important opportunities for care enhancement."

Looking ahead

As cancer diagnoses continue to rise and employers face growing financial pressure, health plans are reevaluating how cancer care is delivered.

Providing access to comprehensive, oncologist-led cancer care across screening, diagnosis, treatment, and survivorship is becoming an increasingly important part of managing both outcomes and cost.

In today's complex cancer landscape, partnerships between health plans and clinical organizations, like Color and Independence Blue Cross, will play an increasingly important role in delivering the comprehensive approach needed to support improved patient outcomes and reduced spend for ASO customers.