BCBSWY — WyoBlue Advantage PPO Website
Built a new Medicare Advantage PPO portal from UX research to full WordPress deployment — ensuring accessibility, compliance, and strong member engagement.
Experience Design & Implementation
Showcasing responsive layouts, UI patterns, and accessibility-compliant components built and deployed in WordPress with Elementor Pro.
Project Overview
The WyoBlue Advantage website was developed from the ground up as a new Medicare Advantage PPO portal under Blue Cross Blue Shield of Wyoming. The project began with only a high-level business requirement — to launch a digital presence for the new product line. I led the entire UX and UI process, from initial concepts and information architecture to Figma wireframes, design system creation, and full implementation in WordPress.
The site was built using Elementor Pro, with customized modules and third-party integrations supporting Medicare quote requests, provider lookup, and enrollment forms. I also established design patterns and visual hierarchy aligned with the Blue Cross Blue Shield brand, while ensuring the WyoBlue Advantage identity had its own modern and accessible look.
All templates were optimized for responsiveness, performance, and accessibility, following WCAG and ADA guidelines. I implemented semantic markup, ARIA labeling, and structured metadata to improve SEO and screen reader usability.
After launch, the website achieved strong load performance metrics on GTmetrix and Google Lighthouse, with measurable improvements in SEO, accessibility, and visual stability. This build remains the live public version of the WyoBlue Advantage website, serving as the foundation for the program's future expansion into 22 Wyoming counties in 2026.
Project Summary
Timeline & Team
6 months (design, migration, and deployment phase)
Led UX/UI design and front-end implementation, collaborating with the Marketing team and an external design assistant for asset delivery and visual refinements.
Tools & Methodology
Figma, WordPress, Elementor Pro
UX research, information architecture, wireframing, design system creation, WordPress implementation, accessibility compliance, third-party integrations
Key Deliverables
- • Information architecture and wireframes
- • High-fidelity prototypes
- • Design system and visual guidelines
- • Modular WordPress templates
- • Third-party API integrations
- • Accessibility and performance optimization
- • SEO and structured metadata implementation
Performance Metrics
SEO & Accessibility compliance
(measured during QA using Google Lighthouse)
Average page load time
(validated via GTmetrix)
Responsive layout coverage across devices
(tested on desktop, tablet, and mobile breakpoints)
Problem Statement
Before this project, WyoBlue Advantage had no existing digital infrastructure. The absence of a dedicated online portal limited member acquisition, product visibility, and compliance with CMS requirements for Medicare Advantage plans.
The challenge was to design and implement a robust, CMS-driven website capable of communicating benefits, supporting providers, and guiding potential members through clear and compliant user journeys — all within a short delivery window ahead of regulatory approval deadlines.
Challenge
The project faced several critical challenges:
- Building a complete digital presence from scratch with only high-level business requirements.
- Ensuring compliance with CMS requirements for Medicare Advantage plans and regulatory approval deadlines.
- Creating clear, accessible user journeys for senior audiences while maintaining brand consistency.
- Integrating third-party APIs for provider directories and plan comparison tools securely and efficiently.
- Delivering a scalable, maintainable WordPress solution within a tight timeline.
Approach
Following a comprehensive UX and development methodology:
- Conducted stakeholder interviews and requirement mapping sessions with BCBSWY product and compliance teams.
- Created information architecture and wireframes in Figma to define page hierarchy and navigation flow.
- Designed high-fidelity prototypes focusing on clarity, contrast, and trust — key factors for senior audiences.
- Developed modular templates in WordPress using Elementor Pro, ensuring easy content updates and localization.
- Integrated third-party APIs for provider directories and plan comparison tools.
- Performed accessibility, usability, and performance testing before deployment.
Solution
The solution delivered a complete, compliant digital portal:
- Fully responsive, CMS-driven portal optimized for accessibility, clarity, and regulatory compliance.
- Scalable WordPress component system aligned with BCBS branding and reusable for future microsites.
- Secure, HIPAA-aware third-party modules for quoting and provider search.
- Clear pathways for users to explore plan options and contact local agents, improving brand trust and engagement.
- Semantic markup, ARIA labeling, and structured metadata for improved SEO and screen reader usability.
- Performance optimization achieving 1.3 seconds average page load time and 90%+ SEO and accessibility compliance.
Results
The project delivered significant outcomes:
- Delivered a fully responsive, CMS-driven portal optimized for accessibility, clarity, and regulatory compliance.
- Established a scalable WordPress component system aligned with BCBS branding and reusable for future microsites.
- Integrated secure, HIPAA-aware third-party modules for quoting and provider search.
- Improved brand trust and engagement with clear pathways for users to explore plan options and contact local agents.
- Achieved strong performance metrics: 90%+ SEO and accessibility compliance, 1.3 seconds average page load time, and 100% responsive layout coverage.
- The website remains the live public version, serving as the foundation for the program's future expansion into 22 Wyoming counties in 2026.
Key Takeaway
Building a health insurance website is not just about visuals — it's about clarity, compliance, and accessibility.
By structuring the experience around the user's goals and regulatory needs, WyoBlue Advantage now provides a reliable, trustworthy digital touchpoint that meets both Medicare standards and member expectations.