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"The Big Picture" Newsletter
June 2006
Latest News
CIGNA HealthCare call centers recognized by J.D.
Power and Associates
Gain certification for “An
Outstanding Customer Service Experience”
CIGNA HealthCare has
been recognized for call
center operation customer satisfaction
excellence under the J.D. Power
and Associates Certified Call Center ProgramSM – making
CIGNA one of a select few companies in
the nation to receive this certification.
This certification recognizes call center
personnel and procedures for courtesy,
knowledge, concern for the customer, usefulness
of the information provided, convenience
of operating hours, ease of reaching a
representative, and timely resolution.
Customized benefit plans just around the corner
CIGNA launches Custom Benefit
Builder
CIGNA is extending its commitment to consumer-driven
health benefits even further, by enabling
prospective members to customize their
plans over the Internet prior to enrollment.
In  this
May 2006 article (408k) from Health
Management Technology, editor Robin
Blair explains how CIGNA Custom
Benefit Builder will
allow consumers to personalize their copayment
and coinsurance levels, deductibles and
out-of-pocket maximums; see how much the
resulting plan will cost; and then enroll
for benefits – all with one integrated
online application. The process will not
only provide more consumer choice and satisfaction,
but will help employers manage benefits
costs and reduce administrative work as
well.
CIGNA revises Producer Agreement
Updates to address compliance with
disclosure policy, laws and regulations
CIGNA HealthCare is committed to transparency
regarding your involvement in placing business
with us. Our shared customers should understand
your role in placing or servicing their
business with CIGNA HealthCare, including
all compensation you may receive from us
in connection with that particular customer’s
business.
CIGNA HealthCare has revised the existing Producer
Agreement to reflect compliance with
both our disclosure policy and all applicable
laws and regulations. Highlights of the
revised contract include the following:
- language has been added to include
the required HIPPA data security regulations
- the compensation section has been updated
to include language about customer disclosure
- the dispute resolution section has been
improved to add a mechanism for senior executives
to attempt to resolve issues prior to arbitration
- the arbitration clause has been changed
to use the American Health Lawyers Association
(AHLA) dispute resolution service. We believe
that the AHLA service is more likely to
result in the selection of an arbitrator
who understands health benefits.
Over the next several months we will be sending
letters to our existing producers, which contain
instructions and contact information, and
the new Producer Agreement.
Measuring Pharmacy Benefit Manager
effectiveness
New CIGNA Pharmacy reporting
tool will track and quantify results
Most employers want proof that their Pharmacy
Benefit Manager (PBM) is delivering value
and a solid return on investment. When
CIGNA's new Total Health Insight™ Pharmacy
(THI-Rx) capability is launched
in late June, employers will have an even
greater opportunity to help achieve that
end.
THI-Rx is a reporting capability designed
to demonstrate the value and cost savings
available to employers who use CIGNA
Pharmacy products. THI-Rx will
showcase measurable, quantifiable results
for clients in such key areas as benefit
access and design, therapeutic and unit
cost efficiency, clinical outcomes impact,
specialty pharmacy overview and overall
savings. THI-Rx will help enhance current
reporting capabilities, particularly those
associated with CIGNA's clinical outcome
improvement programs such as diabetes,
cholesterol, asthma and depression, as
well as therapeutic efficiency in the anti-inflammatory,
stomach acid and migraine categories.
The THI-Rx data will be available by employer
and by product and feature client-specific
sections that reflect employers’ key
trends and opportunities and will be displayed
in a user-friendly format comprised of
text, graphs and tables. THI-Rx information
will be available by employer and product,
with comparisons to industry norms within
the CIGNA book of business. The data will
help complement current CIGNA reporting
capabilities to help deliver a comprehensive
and holistic look at health outcomes.
Through the THI-Rx tool, employers can
benefit from consultative discussions with
their CIGNA clinical account managers and
a comprehensive analysis of their plan
performance focused not only on metrics,
but also on analytics to help employers
address the data that is most important
to them and work toward meeting their objectives.
To learn more about the THI-Rx tool, please
contact your CIGNA sales representative.
CIGNA Dental launches a new series
of Patient Charge Schedules
New Dental HMO series includes
standard plans and new split co-pay
schedules
Effective August 1, 2006, CIGNA Dental
is adding a new
series of Patient Charge Schedules (68k)
to our existing CIGNA Dental Care (DHMO)
suite of plans. This series comes with
new features and procedure codes, including
removal of age limit on sealants, discounts
on prescription oral rinses, and coverage
for brush biopsy and ViziLite® Plus,
to aid in the early detection of oral cancer.
In addition to standard schedules
– available with and without office
visit fees – the 2006 series introduces
our innovative split co-pay schedules.
With the split co-pay feature, members
will pay slightly more for certain procedures
if they visit a specialty provider instead
of a general dentist. Designed to promote
consumerism and motivate members to seek
care in the most cost effective setting,
split co-pays carry a lower premium when
compared to standard plans, enabling employers
to achieve a premium that meets their budgets.
CIGNA Medicare Part D members tap into more
savings
Healthy Rewards program offers
discounts on wellness products and
services
CIGNA has
introduced a variety of discounts for
members enrolled in the CIGNA
Medicare Part D plan. The discounts
are offered through Healthy Rewards,
CIGNA's exclusive program that provides
savings of up to 60 percent on health
and wellness products and services such
as vision care, laser vision surgery,
hearing aids, vitamins, gym memberships,
and massage therapy. The incorporation
of Healthy Rewards is provided at no
additional cost to CIGNA Medicare Part
D members.
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" or "CIGNA HealthCare" refers to various operating subsidiaries of CIGNA Corporation. Products and services are provided by these subsidiaries and not by CIGNA Corporation. These 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 Virginia, HMO plans are offered by CIGNA HealthCare of Virginia, Inc. and 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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