Cigna renews partnership with Envision Healthcare to give in-network access in Florida
This is a renewed agreement to ensure that Cigna's Floridian members can continue to have uninterrupted access to their providers through Envision.
Envision Healthcare, a medical group located in 45 states and the District of Columbia, and Cigna have reached a multi-year agreement in Florida to give Cigna's commercial and exchange plan members in-network access to Envision's clinicians.
This is a renewed agreement to ensure that Cigna's Floridian members can continue to have uninterrupted access to their providers through Envision.
WHAT'S THE IMPACT
Envision has more than 6,000 clinicians in Florida specializing in anesthesia, emergency medicine, hospital medicine, radiology, neonatology, trauma, surgical and office-based healthcare.
This partnership will allow patients to seek affordable and necessary care when they need it most, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic, Envision said in the announcement.
THE LARGER TREND
In addition to this partnership, Cigna has recently made several moves to expand access to its services to more members.
First, Cigna announced it is growing its Affordable Care Act footprint to 79 new counties in 2021, an expansion that includes 50% more consumers than the year prior. In total, it will offer individual and family plans on the individual exchanges in 220 counties spanning 10 states: Arizona, Colorado, Florida, Illinois, Kansas, Missouri, North Carolina, Tennessee, Utah and Virginia.
Following that, Cigna launched Evernorth, a rebrand of its health services portfolio. It includes pharmacy benefit manager Express Scripts, specialty pharmacy Accredo and eviCore healthcare, which provides utilization management services for health plans or employer groups and outpatient diagnostic imaging service programs.
Most recently, the company announced its updated Medicare Advantage offerings for the upcoming year. Cigna is broadening its MA plans into 67 new counties in five new states, with both HMO and PPO plans available. It is also launching new markets in Ohio, Virginia, Oklahoma, Utah and New Mexico. Additionally, it is broadening its PPO offerings in more than 150 of its existing communities.
To help facilitate its geographical growth, Cigna's network is adding over 25,000 physicians throughout its territory.
ON THE RECORD
"Our continued relationship with Cigna demonstrates our long-term commitment to ensuring Florida members have access to quality, uninterrupted, in-network care," said Jim Rechtin, the president and CEO of Envision Healthcare. "Patients should not have to worry about seeking appropriate, affordable care when they need it most – especially during this COVID-19 pandemic. We value the collaborative partnership we have developed with Cigna throughout the years to support the health, safety and well-being of our communities."
"This extended agreement builds on our mutual, long-standing efforts to provide Florida customers with access to affordable, predictable and comprehensive care provided by the skilled clinical specialists at Envision Healthcare," said Giselle Cushing, the Cigna market president for South Florida. "Together, we look forward to continuing to enhance the healthcare experience for patients and providers and improve the health of the communities we serve."
Twitter: @HackettMallory
Email the writer: mhackett@himss.org
