Health Care Reform Today

• Tom Richards
  Close Window

  Tom Richards

  

  Tom Richards

  President Individual and Family Plans, Online Experience and Health Care Reform

One of the most interesting things about working in a global company is experiencing first-hand the waves of social and economic change that are occurring here and in countries and cultures around the world. This isn’t just a U.S. phenomenon; it’s a worldwide need for more sustainable health care models that better meet individuals’ unique needs. Health care reform here in America is a great example. It’s a time of dynamic change, where people are looking for better quality care, greater access and lower costs.

It’s because of our focus on meeting these needs that we constantly strive to deliver on our mission for you. Providing you – our clients, brokers and customers – with personalized service, innovative solutions and an outstanding experience is always our top priority.

Against this backdrop, I want to share Cigna's perspective on the Supreme Court decision.

The U.S. Supreme Court – which heard arguments on the constitutionality of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) a few months ago – today announced their ruling. In their 5-to-4 decision, they voted to uphold the law. In other words, the PPACA has been ruled constitutional.

So, what does this mean for you? All of the PPACA provisions remain valid, and we will continue to implement the law, as applicable. And, as the reform law is put into action, we will also keep working with you to focus the larger reform dialogue on ensuring that all Americans have access to quality, affordable health care and continuous health care coverage. We will remain actively engaged with lawmakers, health care providers and other stakeholders to continue advocating for a health care delivery system in which every American has quality, affordable health care and maintains continuous health care coverage.

It can be easy to dwell on the historical aspects of the Supreme Court ruling, but Cigna was leading the way toward better consumer engagement and meaningful change long before PPACA became law. We were among the first major carriers to implement important benefits like covering preventive care at 100%, providing an external review and appeals process, and offering collaborative accountable care, all of which demonstrate our commitment to making high-quality health care both more accessible and more affordable for everyone.

To expand on Cigna's philosophy, we believe health care reform should strive for a value-based market. Among many of our guiding principles, this means:

• Rewarding doctors for how well they’re doing – not on how many services they provide
• Providing our customers and clients with meaningful choices, information and tools that are relevant to their needs – about health care coverage, primary care doctors and their desire to make health care decisions easier
• Developing innovative, cooperative solutions, like incentives to empower consumers to adopt more healthy behaviors

We've long championed this position. And we'll continue to work with federal and state officials, health care professionals and you – our valued partners – to advocate for a better health care system, and to bring people together to find solutions for the greater good. We will continue to confront challenges and collaborate to improve health outcomes while removing costly waste from the health care system.

It's important to remember that ultimately we’re all after the same thing: a sustainable system that expands access to more people, improves quality and keeps costs down.

Regardless of which path PPACA was ultimately going to take, better health is always a better path.

If you have questions about the Supreme Court decision, we've set up some dedicated resources for you.

• Supreme Court Ruling Q&A
• Clients and Brokers: please contact your Cigna representative.
• In-network Health Care Professionals: please call 1.800.88Cigna (882.4462).
• Individuals/Customers: please call the toll-free number on the back of your ID card. A specially trained group of Customer Service Representatives is ready to answer your questions.
• Media: please contact Jon Sandberg (Jon.Sandberg@Cigna.com; 860.226.7253) or Phil Mann (Phil.Mann@Cigna.com; 860.226.3729).

Thank you for your ongoing partnership.