The Challenge

The health plan manages $915 million in provider payments annually, but the experience behind those payments was fragmented.

Different payment modality workflows created more administrative work for the plan and more friction for providers trying to receive payments and reconcile remittance information.

In 2025 alone:

• Higher processing and servicing costs added operational burden
• More complexity made it harder to create the streamlined payment experience providers expect
• Multiple modalities made simplifying the payments process difficult, increasing provider friction

The opportunity was bigger than simply replacing paper checks. The plan needed a more connected payment strategy that could simplify operations, accelerate electronic adoption and create a better experience for all, at scale.

The Solution

Introducing Zelis Advanced Payments Platform (ZAPP) meant this health plan could orchestrate its provider payments with one partner, reducing fragmented processes and operational friction. And ZAPP Edge enabled this health plan to deliver more than 90% of its payments electronically, while creating a superior and streamlined provider experience. Tackling the friction on both sides of the same coin.

Instead of coordinating payment workflows across multiple modalities, the plan could create a more connected experience — reducing operational complexity while giving providers greater consistency in how they received payments and remittance information.

For the health plan, that meant fewer moving parts and an operation built to scale. For providers, it meant a simpler, lower-friction payment experience.

The Results

The shift was significant.

By the end of 2025, the health plan had moved the majority of its provider payment volume to electronic delivery with ZAPP Edge: 90% electronic payment adoption — $827.2 million of $915 million moved electronically, putting the plan 17 percentage points above the 73% benchmark of other regional health plans.

The impact went beyond paper reduction. The plan created a more streamlined payment operation, reduced administrative burden and built a stronger foundation for a more consistent provider experience.

Looking ahead

In 2025, there was still $87.9 million distributed by paper check and $16.3 million delivered via VCCs, printed and mailed. But the conversation is no longer just about moving away from paper.

It’s about how to create a better payments experience for all. Now, with the connected payments foundation in place, the plan is better positioned to scale efficiently — supporting increased ZAPP Edge adoption and stronger relationships with its provider network, without adding unnecessary friction along the way.