Blue Shield of California has signed a contract with the state of California to be its Third Party Administrator to help optimize and accelerate the allocation and distribution of COVID-19 vaccines equitably,
efficiently and safely throughout the state. The nonprofit health plan is not charging the state for its staff time devoted to this effort. It will only bill the state actual expenses to support the vaccine network up to the limit of the contract.
Blue Shield President and CEO Paul Markovich explains why the company is stepping up in the battle against the historic public health crisis:
“We recognize it’s a daunting challenge to overcome this pandemic, however with all of us doing our part, together we can beat this virus and save lives.
“At Blue Shield of California, our goal is to work closely with each county, their public health leaders, and state officials to build a vaccine network that is only constrained by the number of vaccines we receive. That’s what will enable us to ensure all Californians have access to the vaccines equitably, efficiently and as quickly as possible. We are taking on this effort because we also want to do all we can to help overcome this pandemic and it is our commitment to do that work at cost without making a profit from the state.
“The state will be responsible for determining eligibility and priority for vaccinations, and vaccine allocations will be based on criteria determined by the state. As we work to accelerate the availability of vaccines, we urge everyone to continue following the federal, state and local health guidelines already in place for vaccinations and the prevention of the spread of COVID-19.”