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Latest News
CIGNA Expands Program to Identify Possible Gaps and Errors in Care
Program will be included as standard service in all CIGNA medical benefits plans
CIGNA HealthCare is expanding its Well Informed Program to analyze and address potential gaps, omissions, and errors in health care in an ongoing effort to improve quality of care and lower costs for its members and their employers. When the expansion is complete on January 1, 2008, the program will be included as a standard service in all of CIGNA's medical benefits plans.
Using clinical rules-based software together with CIGNA's integrated medical, behavioral, pharmacy and lab data, CIGNA will conduct ongoing analyses to identify potential gaps or omissions in care for all of its members. Data will be examined to look for possible gaps in chronic disease management, care patterns, medication compliance, preventive care, and patient safety.
The CIGNA Well Informed Program adds to CIGNA HealthCare’s already extensive suite of health advocacy programs that encourage prevention and wellness, help members better manage chronic diseases and assist members facing acute or catastrophic illness.
For more information on CIGNA Well Informed, please click here.
For more information on CIGNA's health and wellness programs, please click here.
CIGNA Acquires Great-West Healthcare in Colorado
Will expand health care coverage and offerings in key regions and employer segments
CIGNA has undertaken another important initiative to expand its capabilities and strengthen its offerings in the marketplace. In late November CIGNA signed a definitive agreement to acquire Great-West Healthcare and its differentiated product and service portfolio. The transaction is expected to close in the first half of 2008, pending regulatory approval.
The acquisition benefits companies of all sizes. CIGNA's middle market and National Account segment customers will gain an expanded provider network in key areas. Great-West Healthcare's offerings have been well received by small to mid-sized companies that seek the financial flexibility afforded by a variety of funding options.
CIGNA plans to build on the leadership position Great-West Healthcare has established in this area to increase the capabilities and the health benefit choices that it brings to small to mid-sized employers, including:
- A full suite of funding alternatives from full risk to self-funded with a broad array of products, including CDHP, PPO, POS, HMO and Open Access plans, as well as specialty offerings;
- An administrative platform that can support the needs of producers and small to mid-sized employers.
Click here for more information, or contact your CIGNA or Great-West Healthcare sales representative.
CIGNA Wins Award for Innovation in Multicultural Health Care
The National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA) honors CIGNA for behavioral health program
The National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA) honored CIGNA with a “Recognizing Innovation in Multicultural Health Care Award” for the company’s efforts to match behavioral health providers to the needs of culturally – and linguistically – diverse members.
CIGNA's “Facilitating Cultural and Language Match in Behavioral Care” program increased satisfaction and access for minority patients seeking behavioral health care by:
- adding more ethnic practitioners to the network,
- collecting additional diversity information on a voluntary basis from practitioners to share with members, and
- starting an open access model for routine outpatient behavioral care. The program was one of nine award winners that NCQA selected from 35 submissions.
Click here for more information.
CIGNA's Intracorp® Recognized as Pharmacy Benefit Management Thought Leader in Industry Publications
Prescription drug costs account for one of the fastest-growing components of workers' compensation medical expenditures in the United States. In response, the pharmacy benefit management (PBM) industry has expanded to address workers' compensation payers' concerns. Intracorp, a CIGNA Corporation subsidiary, was presented as a subject matter expert in several industry publications on this topic.
In the October 15 issue of Risk & Insurance, Betsy Robinson, Intracorp’s assistant vice president for product development and management, talks about Intracorp's PBM and Drug Utilization Review (DUR) program.
Click here to read the article.
An article in the November issue of Human Resource Executive included extensive commentary from both Betsy Robinson and Charlotte Perkins, chief human resources officer for Performance Food Group (PFG). This article focuses on the growth of Pharmacy Benefit Management (PBM) solutions in the workers' compensation market and highlights the benefits PFG has seen since implementing Intracorp’s PBM program.
Click here to read the article.
2007 Integration Value Study Results Can Help You Demonstrate CIGNA’s Advantages
Study results are now available on CIGNA.com
The results of CIGNA's 2007 Integration Value study are now available on CIGNA.com. Among other findings, the study showed that employees in CIGNA’s Disability & HealthCare ConnectSM program have at least a 5% – and up to 37% – greater likelihood of returning to work as a result of CIGNA’s integrated clinical activities. You can use this study with your customers when discussing the advantages of placing their employees’ medical and disability coverages with CIGNA.
Download your copy here and contact your CIGNA sales representative to learn about the discounts CIGNA can offer when your customers purchase multiple CIGNA programs, including medical, disability, behavioral health, dental, life and pharmacy.
Technology
Update
Enhanced Prescription Pricing Tool Helps Members Compare and Save
myCIGNA.com tool offers real-time pricing from 57,000 pharmacies
The myCIGNA.com Prescription Drug Price Quotes online tool enables members to compare real-time pricing for brand name medications, available generics and low cost therapeutically equivalent drug alternatives at their local pharmacies and CIGNA Tel-Drug®. Results are presented in a side-by-side format that highlights savings opportunities based on the member’s benefit plan.
The price quote comparison tool is the latest in an arsenal of tools on myCIGNA.com that enable CIGNA members to better understand their drug treatment options and have more informed discussions with their physicians about medications and their associated costs.
Further enhancements were recently made to this industry-leading tool:
- Ability to price up to three retail pharmacy locations of the member's choice at one time. The tool automatically provides pricing for CIGNA Tel-Drug Home Delivery Pharmacy.
- Coupons are displayed for self-funded clients who have enrolled in the Save with Generics program. These coupons allow members to take advantage of a reduced copayment for the first fill of specific generic medications.
 Regional News
What's happening locally
CIGNA HealthCare news for your area
Get
the latest CIGNA HealthCare news for your part of the country. Every
month, we post new articles of interest and update the states to
which they apply. Here's where you'll also find up-to-date local
contact information to help you with your questions and concerns.
Want to know the news for your area? Find out here.
(NOTE: States with new articles of special interest
are highlighted in blue.)
“CIGNA” and “CIGNA HealthCare” are registered
service marks of CIGNA Intellectual Property, Inc., licensed for use
by CIGNA Corporation and its operating subsidiaries. Products and services
are provided by such operating subsidiaries and not by CIGNA Corporation.
These operating subsidiaries include Connecticut General Life Insurance
Company, Tel-Drug, Inc. and its affiliates, CIGNA Behavioral Health,
Inc., Intracorp, and HMO or service company subsidiaries of CIGNA Health
Corporation and CIGNA Dental Health, Inc. In Arizona, HMO plans are
offered by CIGNA HealthCare of Arizona, Inc. In California, HMO plans
are offered by CIGNA HealthCare of California, Inc. In Connecticut,
HMO plans are offered by CIGNA HealthCare of Connecticut, Inc. In Virginia,
HMO plans are offered by CIGNA HealthCare Mid-Atlantic, Inc. In North
Carolina, HMO plans are offered by CIGNA HealthCare of North Carolina,
Inc. All other medical plans in these states are insured or administered
by Connecticut General Life Insurance Company.
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