How care coordination supports better health outcomes and lowers costs

Originally published in The Tennessean, June 2026

Navigating the health care system can be complicated, especially for people facing serious illness, injury, or long-term conditions. Knowing where to go, how to access care, and how to make the most of their benefits is not always clear, especially in moments when decisions need to be made quickly.   

Gaps in that knowledge can affect health outcomes.   

After a diagnosis like cancer, many patients move quickly into treatment while coordinating across multiple providers, managing medications, and keeping up with appointments. At the same time, they may be balancing work, family responsibilities, and financial concerns.  

At BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee, we have a member of our care team reach out as soon as our records show a member has a cancer diagnosis. This team includes nearly 200 licensed clinicians, like nurses and social workers, who understand health conditions and how treatment unfolds over time.  

They step in early to screen for mental health needs, help members understand their options, and stay engaged throughout the course of their care. Members of our care team also have direct experience caring for patients, so they bring empathy and real-world insights that can help patients move forward with a clearer path. 

Conditions like cancer and others often involve multiple specialists, medications, and services. While providers focus on treatment, our care teams can help members navigate how those services are covered. For example, if a physician prescribes a specialty medication, our care team can help coordinate with the appropriate pharmacy and explain what the member can expect. That support gives members a place to turn before a missed step leads to a disruption in treatment, or an untreated issue becomes an emergency. 

In some cases, that support begins before a diagnosis. 

Our care teams also reach out to people who are overdue for recommended screenings or who may be at higher risk. Oftentimes members aren’t aware these screenings are covered by their health plan at no extra cost. And we see that when screenings are completed early, health conditions are more likely to be detected when treatment can be more manageable. 

For example, care teams may help a member with diabetes by coordinating supplies, helping them stay on prescribed medications, and connecting them with resources to avoid complications that lead to emergency care. 

This coordination could also address barriers outside of medical care, including transportation, financial strain, and caregiver support. When those barriers are not addressed, even well-planned treatment can break down.   

These challenges can be more pronounced in rural communities.  

Access to specialists may be limited, appointments can take longer to schedule, and travel requires more coordination. Delays between diagnosis and treatment are more common, and those delays can affect how conditions progress. Care coordination can offset those constraints by helping patients navigate choices they may not have known were available and even connecting to travel support when needed.  

That’s also why our members can connect with our care teams digitally through an app or over the phone, helping to make it easier to ask questions and stay on track between appointments with their providers.  

For employers, care coordination connects directly to affordability. 

Health benefits are one of most companies’ largest investments, and cost influences can come from when care is received and where it happens. Early detection, avoiding preventable emergency room visits and helping employees access high-quality care at lower prices all help contribute to lower overall health care costs. 

Simply put, we’ve found that members who work closely with our care teams are more likely to follow through on treatment and less likely to experience avoidable emergency care or unplanned hospitalizations. 

To better serve our members, we have to focus on how people move through the system before and after a diagnosis. This is why BlueCross invests in providing hands-on support to members who need it most.