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"The Big Picture" Newsletter
October 2007
Latest News
CIGNA Choice Fund second year study shows CIGNA's CDHP cuts medical
trend in half
Plan design significant in enabling member savings to compound over time
CIGNA HealthCare’s extensive review of second-year CIGNA
Choice Fund claims data continues to demonstrate the
value of well-designed consumer directed health plans (CDHPs), and refutes the popular myths,
including cost shifting, cherry picking the healthy, and discouraging
needed treatment, that surrounds CDHPs.
The CIGNA
Choice Fund survey results demonstrate that health care quality
and the cost efficiency offered in a CDHP that is actuarially equivalent
to other “traditional” plan
designs are not only sustained, but cost reduction compounds over time. It adds
to the mounting evidence that consumer-driven health plans offer an affordable,
cost-effective way to provide benefits that can save money, increase consumer
engagement and not compromise the quality of care.
For CIGNA, consumerism is
not just another product, it is our strategic focus. For this reason
we continue to invest time and resources in to understanding how
it is performing.
Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center joins the CIGNA network
Members now have access to one of the world’s premier cancer centers
The Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center
Network, comprised of
Memorial Hospital for Cancer and Allied Diseases, the Sloan-Kettering
Institute and their associated specialized physicians, will
be available as an in-network provider for all products and funding types effective
11/1/07.
Benefits to members include:
- Access to appropriate, specialized and cost-effective care through
a nationally recognized and accredited Cancer Center;
- Additional options that allow members with cancer to maximize
their health benefits and choices when selecting a course and location
of treatment;
- Cost avoidance savings for patients with uncommon or complex
cancers who require complex therapies and treatment by the most
experienced and expert physicians and patient care teams.
The Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center Network includes 14 inpatient
and outpatient facilities and over 600 participating specialists.
New analysis shows integrated medical and disability programs
improve
return-to-work rates
Individuals covered by CIGNA's integrated medical
and disability programs who have taken a short-term disability leave are
more likely to return to work, according to newly released research by CIGNA. In fact, the
study shows marked improvement in return-to-work rates for these claimants
of at least five percent and up to 37 percent, as compared to their
counterparts in non-integrated, disability-only plans. Read
more.
CIGNA Pharmacy Management introduces new marketing materials
Focus is on Return on Health
CIGNA Pharmacy Management (CPM) has introduced exciting new
marketing materials to help you better showcase its capabilities and services
and highlight for employers the value of having pharmacy benefits integrated
with medical benefits.
These materials clearly communicate specific capability areas that
are important to consider when purchasing pharmacy benefit services.
They also demonstrate how CPM delivers a Return on Health by
integrating clinical programs and case management across medical
and pharmacy and integrating effective cost-management programs.
The new materials consist of a capabilities, cost management, outcome
improved programs and specialty pharmacy solutions brochures with
accompanying case studies and fact sheets.
Click here for a preview of CPM’s
new look and call your Pharmacy or Sales contact for more information
about this new collateral.
CIGNA Dental & Vision Care releases CIGNA Healthful Hints e-newsletter
Features consumer-focused articles that employers can use in their internal publications
CIGNA Healthful Hints, a quarterly e-newsletter from CIGNA
Dental & Vision Care, features national oral health news as well
as healthy tips from dental and vision care professionals. This consumer-focused
publication will be distributed to customers and associated producers
via e-mail. Each edition of CIGNA
Healthful Hints will consist of four or
five stories with insights and quotes from members of the CIGNA Dental
Clinical Advisory Panel, clinical staff and other health experts.
Editors of internal company newsletters and intranets will find this
information useful as they prepare health and benefit-related stories.
Product Spotlight
Online provider profiles help members select therapists
Visitors to the CIGNA Behavioral Health (CBH) website can now view
online provider profiles offering photographs of and background information
about therapists in the network. Typical information includes license
levels, languages spoken, educational background, areas of specialization
and years of experience.
Because therapy is a very private and personal experience, the focus
of this tool is the consumer. Available at http://www.cignabehavioral.com/,
the online Provider Directory and Search Tool allow users to browse for
a provider who best suits their personal needs and preferences. CBH is
the first managed behavioral health organization to offer the provider
profile pages with photographs, and search hits have already reached
700,000 this year. Nearly 10,000 providers in the CBH network have populated
their personal profiles, including a photograph. The provider directory
is updated daily and the information is continually refreshed.
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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