CIGNA HealthCare Provides Information for Consumers
BLOOMFIELD, Conn., April 27, 2006 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- As Americans seek more information to help compare health care cost and quality, CIGNA today announced that it will further extend its leadership in providing consumer information by expanding its suite of online health care cost and quality information tools.
The suite of information tools will now also include cost data about outpatient surgery procedures and radiology services. The company said it would initially provide the information in two markets, Wichita, Kansas and the state of New Hampshire. Members will have access to the estimated average cost range of procedures in those two areas. "We found that costs vary significantly among outpatient and radiology providers, and people need additional actionable information to help them make more informed decisions about where to go for their outpatient surgical or radiology procedure," said Dr. Jeffrey Kang, chief medical officer for CIGNA HealthCare. "Since the majority of these procedures are not urgent, members have time to review costs and make decisions that are right for them about which facility to use."
Effective immediately, Wichita and New Hampshire members will be able to access and compare estimated average cost ranges by facility for outpatient and high-tech radiology services for 15 outpatient procedures that account for a majority of all facility-based ambulatory surgeries, such as colonoscopy, endoscopy or cardiac catheterization.
Estimated average cost ranges for the three most common high-tech radiology procedures, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), positron emission tomography (PET), and computerized axial tomography (CT) will also be available. The capability is expected to be expanded to additional areas in August 2006. "Wesley Medical Center supports sharing information with our patients and other customers, and we continue to supply information to credible third parties, such as Leapfrog, JCAHO and accrediting institutions. Cost and quality information that is accurate and reliable will help empower consumers," states David S. Nevill, chief executive officer, Wesley Medical Center, one of HCA's hospitals. "I believe CIGNA HealthCare is taking a measured approach on this issue and is providing important information to its members to help them be better educated health care consumers." The new cost information tools will be added to the robust online cost and quality tools already available on CIGNA HealthCare's personalized member web portal, mycigna.com.
Early last year, the company launched an array of hospital transparency tools to help members evaluate hospitals on quality and average overall cost for certain procedures. Adds Kang, "We believe that providing quality and cost information for services helps make our members more empowered decision-makers." In addition to its quality and cost transparency tools, CIGNA HealthCare also has other decision support tools to help members use resources more efficiently.
The company has developed CIGNA Care Network, a designation given to specialty providers who meet or exceed certain quality and efficiency standards. Members pay a reduced copayment or coinsurance level when they choose a specialist designated as a CIGNA Care Network provider. Total reimbursement to the specialist remains the same under this benefit design option.
The company is also the first national carrier that allows consumers to compare out-of-pocket prescription drug prices through its Pharmacy Price Quote Tool that provides estimated costs for generic and brand name drugs from more than 54,000 retail pharmacies across the country and CIGNA Tel-Drug, its home delivery pharmacy. CIGNA HealthCare, headquartered in Bloomfield, CT, provides medical benefits plans, dental coverage, behavioral health coverage, pharmacy benefits, and products and services that integrate and analyze information to support consumerism and health advocacy. "CIGNA HealthCare" refers to various operating subsidiaries of CIGNA Corporation (NYSE: CI). Products and services are provided by these operating subsidiaries and not by CIGNA Corporation.
CIGNA Pharmacy Management (CPM) 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., Tel-Drug of Pennsylvania, L.L.C., and HMO or service company subsidiaries of CIGNA Health Corporation.
SOURCE: CIGNA HealthCare
The suite of information tools will now also include cost data about outpatient surgery procedures and radiology services. The company said it would initially provide the information in two markets, Wichita, Kansas and the state of New Hampshire. Members will have access to the estimated average cost range of procedures in those two areas. "We found that costs vary significantly among outpatient and radiology providers, and people need additional actionable information to help them make more informed decisions about where to go for their outpatient surgical or radiology procedure," said Dr. Jeffrey Kang, chief medical officer for CIGNA HealthCare. "Since the majority of these procedures are not urgent, members have time to review costs and make decisions that are right for them about which facility to use."
Effective immediately, Wichita and New Hampshire members will be able to access and compare estimated average cost ranges by facility for outpatient and high-tech radiology services for 15 outpatient procedures that account for a majority of all facility-based ambulatory surgeries, such as colonoscopy, endoscopy or cardiac catheterization.
Estimated average cost ranges for the three most common high-tech radiology procedures, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), positron emission tomography (PET), and computerized axial tomography (CT) will also be available. The capability is expected to be expanded to additional areas in August 2006. "Wesley Medical Center supports sharing information with our patients and other customers, and we continue to supply information to credible third parties, such as Leapfrog, JCAHO and accrediting institutions. Cost and quality information that is accurate and reliable will help empower consumers," states David S. Nevill, chief executive officer, Wesley Medical Center, one of HCA's hospitals. "I believe CIGNA HealthCare is taking a measured approach on this issue and is providing important information to its members to help them be better educated health care consumers." The new cost information tools will be added to the robust online cost and quality tools already available on CIGNA HealthCare's personalized member web portal, mycigna.com.
Early last year, the company launched an array of hospital transparency tools to help members evaluate hospitals on quality and average overall cost for certain procedures. Adds Kang, "We believe that providing quality and cost information for services helps make our members more empowered decision-makers." In addition to its quality and cost transparency tools, CIGNA HealthCare also has other decision support tools to help members use resources more efficiently.
The company has developed CIGNA Care Network, a designation given to specialty providers who meet or exceed certain quality and efficiency standards. Members pay a reduced copayment or coinsurance level when they choose a specialist designated as a CIGNA Care Network provider. Total reimbursement to the specialist remains the same under this benefit design option.
The company is also the first national carrier that allows consumers to compare out-of-pocket prescription drug prices through its Pharmacy Price Quote Tool that provides estimated costs for generic and brand name drugs from more than 54,000 retail pharmacies across the country and CIGNA Tel-Drug, its home delivery pharmacy. CIGNA HealthCare, headquartered in Bloomfield, CT, provides medical benefits plans, dental coverage, behavioral health coverage, pharmacy benefits, and products and services that integrate and analyze information to support consumerism and health advocacy. "CIGNA HealthCare" refers to various operating subsidiaries of CIGNA Corporation (NYSE: CI). Products and services are provided by these operating subsidiaries and not by CIGNA Corporation.
CIGNA Pharmacy Management (CPM) 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., Tel-Drug of Pennsylvania, L.L.C., and HMO or service company subsidiaries of CIGNA Health Corporation.
SOURCE: CIGNA HealthCare
posted by Kirby P at 8:58 PM
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