Beyond coverage: Convenient virtual ways to access care

This open enrollment, choose a health system that makes care easy to reach, day or night For many Long Beach families, open enrollment means comparing premiums, deductibles and networks. But coverage is only half the decision. The other half is how easily you can reach and access care when you need it. That question matters more than ever: In 2025, new patients in major U.S. cities waited an average of 31 days for a physician appointment, according to AMN Healthcare’s 2025 Survey of Physician Appointment Wait Times. A child’s fever at 2 a.m. or a sinus infection over the weekend can’t wait a month and emergency rooms are too impacted by emergent issues, and urgent cares aren’t always convenient, accessible and open.

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