Claim Payments: EFT and ERA

Enrolling in both ERA and EFT can help expedite the delivery of your payments from Cigna, make it easier to reconcile patient accounts, and much more.

What is an EFT?

Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT), also called direct deposit, transfers claim fee-for-service and capitated payments directly into your bank account. When you enroll in EFT, you can:

• Eliminate paper check mail delivery and handling.
• Access funds on the same day of the deposit.
• Increase efficiency and improve cash flow.
• View a separate remittance report online for each deposit, which shows the:
  • Deposit transaction
  • Details about the claims processed
  • Payments included in that fund transfer
• Easily reconcile payments using a single remittance tracking number:
  • Ask your bank to provide the payment related information from field 3 of record 7 on the EFT report they send to you
  • "Reference Identification Field" (or TRN02) on your ERA
  • Number located on the first page of your online remittance report

How Do I Enroll?

• Log in to CignaforHCP.com
• Select Working with Cigna
• Select Enroll in Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT) Options
• Complete the electronic enrollment form

Cigna then will send a "pre-note" transaction to your bank to verify all the banking information is correct. If the pre-note is:

• Not returned to Cigna: You will begin receiving EFT on your next payment cycle
• Returned to Cigna with errors: Cigna will contact you to obtain correct banking information

To check the status of your EFT application:

• Log in to CignaforHCP.com (if you have not registered yet you will need to do so)
• Select Working with Cigna
• Select Manage EFT Settings

For more details and vendor requirements, go to the CignaforHCP website.

What is an ERA?

Electronic Remittance Advice (ERA) provides a HIPAA-compliant detailed explanation of how Cigna processes claims from health care providers. ERA can be automatically loaded into your accounts receivable system. If you enroll in ERA, it can help you:

• Reduce costs and save time.
• Reduce posting errors.
• Shorten the payment cycle.

How Do I Enroll to Receive ERAs?

1. Notify your EDI vendor or Post-n-Track^® that you would like to enroll for Cigna ERA.
2. Provide enrollment information as instructed by your EDI vendor or Post-n-Track (if you use more than one TIN, complete a separate enrollment for each TIN).
3. Your EDI vendor or Post-n-Track will send the completed enrollment information to Cigna for processing; Cigna will finalize your registration within 10 business days of receiving it.
4. You may begin receiving ERAs on your next payment cycle

For more details, visit CignaforHCP.