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Latest News
CIGNA to Stop Reimbursing Hospitals for Never Events and Avoidable Hospital Conditions
New policy consistent with Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services national policy
As part of its ongoing focus on improving health care quality, CIGNA is taking steps to stop reimbursing hospitals for so-called “never events” and avoidable hospital conditions, which are errors in patient care that can and should be prevented.
Read more information.
New Enhancements to Consumer Health Improvement Tools
New Heath Statements and Health Risk Assessment among new features
At CIGNA, we believe there is no more important service we can provide than to help improve the health and productivity of the companies and individuals we serve. That’s why we offer one of the most extensive suites of health risk identification and coach-led health improvement programs in the nation. And it’s why we’re tirelessly working to deliver innovative, easy-to-use tools and information to help empower individuals to make smart decisions about their health.
Read more information on what clients and their employees can expect to see this month.
CIGNA Announces First Quarter 2008 Earnings Results
Medical membership increased by 2% relative to year end 2007
In its first quarter earnings report, CIGNA Corporation announced net income of $58 million compared with $289 million for the same period last year. “Our quarterly results reflect both the challenging environment for our Health Care segment, as well as the continued strength of our Disability and Life and International businesses,” said CIGNA Chairman and Chief Executive Officer H. Edward Hanway.
Please click here for more information.
CIGNA Foundation Grant to Help Parents Manage Children’s Leukemia Treatments
Childhood Leukemia Foundation’s Hope Binder™ Offered at 160 Hospitals Nationwide
CIGNA is teaming up with the Childhood Leukemia Foundation (CLF) to offer CLF’s Hope Binder™ free of charge to parents of children with cancer. The Hope Binder is designed to help parents manage the overwhelming amount of information related to their child's care. The CIGNA Foundation’s $75,000 grant makes it possible for the group to supply 2,200 Hope Binders to more than 160 hospitals nationwide. CIGNA has also added a free copy of the Hope Lab video game Re-Mission™ to the binder. Read more information here.
To announce the availability of CLF Hope Binders, CIGNA issued a video news release to national and local television news shows, including the Good Morning America and Today shows in select cities. The video features a patient and his parents at a CIGNA-contracted hospital, using both the Hope Binder and Re-Mission™.
Product Spotlight
CIGNA Delivers a Return On HealthSM Through Integration
CIGNA helps improve health and lower costs by incorporating clinical approach across medical and pharmacy plans
Traditional pharmacy plans focus solely on lowering the cost of prescription medications. With CIGNA Pharmacy Management, managing cost is just the beginning. Working as one team, CIGNA’s broad access to pharmacy, medical lab and hospital information provides us with an integrated view of a member’s medical, behavioral and prescription history. When members are able to manage health care services through a single plan, they are less likely to experience unnecessary medical complications or administrative obstacles that can impact the quality of their lives and increase total health care costs.
Download a fact sheet on the benefits of medical and pharmacy integration.
Disability Insurance Awareness Month Promotes Financial Security
Disability-themed Webinar and enhanced consumer toolkit mark CIGNA’s support of Disability Insurance Awareness Month
CIGNA is proud to support the second annual Disability Insurance Awareness Month (DIAM) in May. To increase awareness of the importance of disability insurance, we have expanded our popular online Disability Consumer Education Kit with additional resources, including a new video that shows how CIGNA helped provide peace of mind for a member that enabled her to focus on getting well and back to work. Visit www.cigna.com/diam for additional resources for consumers, employers and brokers that help underscore the value of disability insurance.
Read more information.
Health Care News and Trends
Providing Pre-65 Retiree Benefit Solutions – On the Employer’s Terms
CIGNA provides cost-effective and affordable medical benefits for pre-65 retirees
Employers struggle with a wide variety of health care benefit issues. One of today’s top issues is how to maintain medical coverage for pre-65 retirees. While the underlying employer needs are becoming increasingly complex, the marketplace has been slow to respond with adequate solutions. CIGNA's approach to retiree health care is based on the premise that employers deserve customized benefit and risk solutions tailored to their specific needs.
Read the full article.
 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.)
Webinars and Newsletters
Innovative Approaches to Productivity Management
Latest Webinar in CIGNA-sponsored series discusses a new role for disability programs in workplace health
A comprehensive strategy for managing workplace productivity can improve the health and well-being of employees and effectively control the total cost of injury and illness for employers. Learn how forward-thinking disability management programs can help prevent or reduce disability claim incidence. And, when disabilities are not preventable or foreseeable, discover how a new approach to disability management can pay off even more.
Join us for session three on May 15 at 2pm Eastern time as we offer practical advice and real-life examples of how companies are able to minimize time out of work, reduce barriers to getting employees safely back to work, and successfully keep employees on the job following a disability.
Register for the session today.
Group Benefits Bulletin Gives You the Edge with News and Tips
New issue spotlights consultative selling, group product updates and other CIGNA news
The Spring 2008 issue of the CIGNA Group Benefits Bulletin is now online and filled with useful and relevant information. This issue includes articles about being more consultative with your customers with value-added services such as employee assistance and will preparation programs, and cost options such as voluntary benefits. You'll also find important updates on CIGNA's disability, FML, life and dental products you can share with your customers.
Read the latest bulletin here.
“CIGNA,” “CIGNA Group Insurance,” "CIGNA HealthCare," "CIGNA International” and the “Tree of Life” logo are registered service marks of CIGNA Intellectual Property, Inc., licensed for use by CIGNA Corporation and its operating subsidiaries. All products and services are provided exclusively by such operating subsidiaries and other contracted companies and not by CIGNA Corporation. Such operating subsidiaries include Connecticut General Life Insurance Company; Life Insurance Company of North America; CIGNA Life Insurance Company of New York; 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. and Great-West 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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