CIGNA today announced a variety of new programs that will be available to Medicare eligible individuals for 2009. Some of the new offerings include Medicare Part D Prescription Drug plans with no costs for popular generic prescriptions used to treat common conditions such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol and diabetes. The new Medicare Advantage health plans include prescription drug coverage and up to 75 percent coverage for preventive dental care. In addition, there are plans with low amounts that individuals pay for doctor’s visits and medications, as well as low monthly premiums.
“CIGNA is focused on making health care for seniors as easy, comprehensive and affordable as possible,” said Sam Srivastava, president, national and senior segments for CIGNA HealthCare. “When people are ready to retire, they should be able to do so with the assurance that they have sufficient health care coverage. That’s why we have developed a range of health care coverage options for individuals as well as employers and union plan sponsors – it’s about meeting the varying needs of today’s retiree as well as for those getting ready to retire.”
For 2009, CIGNA is expanding its “Medicare Advantage Private Fee for Service” (MA PFFS) plans for individuals into 28 states. These plans are approved by Medicare and offer more benefits than the Original Medicare. The new plans allow a person to go to the doctor of his or her choice, provided that doctor accepts Medicare and the terms and conditions of the health plan.
In 2008, CIGNA offered a variety of plans nationally to employers and to individuals in certain counties in Arizona, Georgia, Indiana, Maine, New Hampshire, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Vermont, Virginia, and Texas. In 2009 CIGNA will continue to offer these plans nationally to groups. For individual coverage, CIGNA will be adding counties in these existing states as well as adding counties in Alabama, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Florida, Hawaii, Illinois, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Missouri, New Mexico, Ohio, Oregon, Washington, and West Virginia. CIGNA also offers Medicare Part D plans for individuals and groups throughout the nation.
As part of the new options, CIGNA makes available a variety of other services that can help improve the health, well-being and security of the individuals who have these plans. These programs are not available through Original Medicare. Programs will vary based on the health plan a person chooses, but may include some or all of the following:
— Welcome calls to help people understand their new plan and answer any questions they may have.
— My Health Assessment to help individuals identify potential health risks and learn what they can do to prevent potential health problems.
— Healthy Rewards program, which offers discounts on a variety of health and wellness products and services. Savings include up to 60 percent on health club memberships and 40 percent on hearing tests; a 25 percent discount on hearing aids and batteries with a 60-day trial period, money back guarantee, free screenings and no charge for follow-up visits for one year. Discounts are also available for weight and nutrition programs, smoking cessation, dental care products, laser vision care and nutritional supplements. Information about the discounts that are available in an area can be found on mycigna.com.
— Coupons for discounts on various health related items. These high-value coupons are sent to new customers when they enroll in the plan and then offered on an on-going basis through the regular CIGNA Medicare newsletter.
— CIGNA HealthCare 24-Hour Health Information Line(R), which is available day or night for information on a variety of health-related topics, for example, when a grandchild is visiting and develops a high fever in the middle of the night. Callers can either speak directly and confidentially with a trained nurse, or listen to prerecorded information on topics ranging from aging and women’s health to nutrition and surgery.
— The CIGNA Tel-Drug Home Delivery Pharmacy Program is designed especially for people who take prescription medications used to treat on-going medical conditions such as high blood pressure, cholesterol, or diabetes. A home-delivery pharmacy can provide an easy and cost-effective solution.
— Personal Health Record gives an individual a convenient place to store information about their medical history. Password protected, it is accessible from any Internet connection and the information can be shared with family members and health professionals. It also features Quicken Health as an added feature to help manage the financial aspects of a person’s health care.
— Healthwise(R) medical and online medication library is available and features information about health conditions and topics to help individuals better understand their conditions.
CIGNA has over 40 years experience with Medicare programs, and currently serves approximately 14 million Medicare eligible individuals and offers a broad array of Medicare and non-Medicare related plans for pre and post age 65 retirees and Medicare beneficiaries including medical, dental, behavioral health and pharmacy benefits plans and coverage, as well as retiree administrative services. These plans, coupled with CIGNA’s consultative services to group sponsors, help individuals transition from active employment to early retirement or Medicare eligibility with plans and services that meet the individual’s unique needs at every life stage.
About CIGNA:
CIGNA (NYSE:CI), one of the nation’s leading health service companies, is dedicated to helping the people we serve improve their health, well-being and security thorough a diversified portfolio of benefits and services. Serving approximately 47 million people throughout the United States and around the world, CIGNA’s operating subsidiaries offer a full portfolio of medical, dental, behavioral health, pharmacy and vision care benefits as well as group life, accident and disability insurance. To learn more about CIGNA visit www.cigna.com.
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