Cigna health springs provider: Cigna provides low-cost Medicare Advantage plans with respectable (but not exceptional) performance ratings. This is where you’ll put your fully optimized content!
Cigna is the seventh-largest Medicare Advantage provider [1], with plans available in little over half of the United States. The company also sells stand-alone Medicare medication plans all around the country.
Cigna has a large number of no-premium Medicare Advantage plans, with at least one in each market it covers. Although the majority of Cigna’s Medicare Advantage users are enrolled in highly rated plans, third-party rating organizations do not always give the firm high grades.
Cigna Medicare Advantage: Here’s What You Should Know
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Cigna health springs provider Advantage pros and cons
Pros
- Member satisfaction: In J.D. Power’s survey of Medicare Advantage providers, Cigna HealthSpring, a Cigna subsidiary, ranked third out of nine Medicare Advantage providers in terms of member satisfaction. The most recent Medicare Advantage report from Power.
- Low-cost options: More than three-quarters of Cigna’s Medicare Advantage plans (78.6%) are premium-free.
- Prescription drug plans widely available: Cigna provides three separate prescription medication plans that are accessible in all 50 states, Puerto Rico, and the District of Columbia.
- The breadth of benefits: Cigna provides a variety of valuable member perks, including 24-hour telemedicine, food delivery, and transportation to and from medical facilities.
Cons
- Limited plan types: Despite the fact that Cigna offers PPO plans, the bulk of its Medicare Advantage plans is HMOs, which require members to get the majority of their treatment from in-network physicians.
- Limited availability: Only 26 states and Washington, D.C. offer Cigna Medicare Advantage plans.
- Third-party ratings: On the National Committee for Quality Assurance’s rating system, no Cigna plan has a score better than 3.5 out of 5.
Available Medicare Advantage plans
Cigna provides a number of different Medicare Advantage plans, each with its own structure, pricing, and benefits. Cigna provides MAPDs, as well as stand-alone Prescription Medication Plans and Medicare Advantage Plans without drug coverage.
The following sorts of plans are available:
HMO plans
PPO plans
SNPs
Available Part D prescription drug plans
Cigna provides stand-alone Part D prescription drug plans in all 50 states, plus Puerto Rico and Washington, D.C., while many of its Medicare Advantage plans include Part D medication coverage. These plans are meant to accompany Medicare Part A and Part B and don’t provide medical coverage.
Cigna has decreased its selection of prescription drug plans, or PDPs, from six to three for 2022. It has merged Express Scripts-branded plans from prior years into similar Cigna programs. Despite the fact that there are fewer plans available, all of Cigna’s PDPs still provide $0-copay choices for some prescriptions when purchased through qualified mail orders.
The following are Cigna’s Medicare prescription medication plans for 2022:
- Cigna Secure Rx: The average monthly premium is $34.17, with a $480 yearly prescription medication deductible. This plan, according to Cigna, provides “basic coverage” and is a suitable fit for Medicare recipients who get financial help via the Extra Help program. In all areas except California and Puerto Rico, the Cigna Secure Rx plan with no premium is accessible to beneficiaries with full low-income subsidies.
- Cigna Essential Rx: The average monthly premium is $35.08, with a $480 yearly prescription medication deductible. “Modest coverage and exceptional value,” according to Cigna.
- Cigna Extra Rx: The average monthly premium is $59.11, with a $100 yearly prescription medication deductible. This plan has “a very high level of coverage” and “minimal out-of-pocket payments,” according to Cigna.
Additional benefits
Cigna Medicare Advantage provides routine vision, dental, and hearing coverage to many of its members. Other advantages are available with some programs. Although their availability varies per plan, here are a few standouts:
- 24/7 telehealth: Members who have minor medical concerns can talk with a medical expert at any time.
- Over-the-counter allowance: Some plans provide an OTC quarterly allowance that you may use to buy things from Cigna’s OTC catalog, such as aspirin, cold medication, and vitamins. (You have the option of shopping online, over the phone, or by mail.)
- Transportation services: Some plans cover a certain number of non-emergency, one-way travels to and from medical institutions within 60 miles.
- Silver&Fit Healthy Aging and Exercise Program: Depending on your needs, some programs include a gym membership or a home exercise program.
- Home-delivered meals: After you’ve been discharged from an acute inpatient hospital stay or a skilled nursing facility stay, several plans give the option of having meals delivered to your home.
- Cigna Case Management: Members with chronic disorders such as diabetes or epilepsy can apply for this program, which employs a team of nurses, pharmacists, health coaches, and others to assist them in managing their condition.
- Medication Therapy Management Program: This service is open to members who have particular medical problems and use specific drugs. The program may help you avoid pharmaceutical mistakes and get the most out of your therapy.
Customer service
Members of Cigna Medicare Advantage can reach out to their plan’s customer support in a variety of ways:
- Call 800-997-1654 to speak with a customer care person, who is accessible 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. (Dial 711 for TTY/TDD and follow the directions.)
- Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Eastern time, chat with a member services professional.
- Contact Cigna through Facebook.
- Contact Cigna through Twitter.
Cigna Medicare Advantage service area
In 26 states and Washington, D.C., Cigna offers Medicare Advantage plans. In addition to all 50 states, Puerto Rico, and Washington, D.C., it offers Medicare prescription medication insurance. Cigna offers Medicare Advantage plans in 477 counties nationwide.
Cigna is the fourth-largest health insurer in the United States. Cigna Medicare Advantage plans cover more than half a million Medicare patients.
Cost
The cost of a Medicare Advantage plan varies depending on the plan, your area, and your health needs. The plan’s premium is one of the factors to evaluate, and Cigna will offer a $0-premium plan in every area in 2022. In fact, more than three-quarters of Cigna’s Medicare Advantage plans (78.6%) had no premium.
The monthly consolidated premium (containing Part C and Part D) for Medicare Advantage plans with a premium ranges from $19 to $135. Monthly premiums for special needs plans with a premium vary from $5.10 to $81.
You’ll still be responsible for paying your Medicare Part B payment, which is $170.10 in 2022, even if some Medicare Advantage plans cover part or all of it.
Other out-of-pocket expenses to think about are:
- How much of your monthly Medicare Part B premium is covered by the plan.
- The annual deductibles of the plan, as well as any extra deductibles, such as a prescription deductible.
- Each visit or treatment requires a copayment and/or coinsurance. For example, seeing your main doctor may have a $10 charge, but seeing a specialist may incur a $45 copay.
- The plan’s out-of-pocket maximums, both in-network, and out-of-network.
- Whether your medical providers are in-network or out-of-network, as well as how frequently you may need to seek treatment outside of your network.
- If you need additional benefits and if the plan charges for them.
Use Medicare’s Plan Finder to compare information across various plans in your region to get an idea of prices. You may choose to examine only Cigna options or compare plans from several carriers. By inputting your ZIP code on Cigna’s website, you may shop immediately.
Medicare star ratings
Average star rating: 4.2
Look no farther than the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services‘ own star ratings for Medicare’s view on Cigna’s plans, which rank each plan from best (5 stars) to worst (2 stars) (1 star). These scores are based on the plans’ quality of care and customer satisfaction metrics, and they may fluctuate from year to year.
Cigna’s 2022 Medicare Advantage (Part C) plans have an average score of 4.2, while the company’s prescription drug plans (Part D) have an average score of 4.0, according to the most current year of data. Cigna’s plans have an overall average score of 4.2. For reference, the average star rating for all suppliers’ plans was 4.37. One Cigna contract receives a perfect score: Florida’s HealthSpring
While a few plans have lower ratings, the majority of Cigna’s members are enrolled in plans that are highly rated. In 2021, 87 percent of Medicare participants are enrolled in contracts with a star rating of 4.0 or above.
The rating of a plan may be found using the Medicare Plan Finder.
Third-party ratings
There are a few firms that comment on health plans or the strength of a corporation, and we’ve included three of them here:
AM Best Financial Strength Rating: A (Excellent)
AM Best is a credit rating firm that focuses on the insurance sector. Cigna Corporation, comprising its U.S. life/health businesses, health maintenance organizations, and New Zealand- and Europe-based insurance firms, received an A (Excellent) Financial Strength Rating from AM Best in March 2021. Cigna HealthSpring Companies received an A (Excellent) FSR from AM Best.
AM Best gives Cigna an A in this area, indicating that the company has a strong capacity to satisfy its ongoing insurance commitments.
J.D. Power Ranking: 3rd out of 9
In its 2021 Medicare Advantage Study — this is the seventh time it’s been done — Members’ satisfaction with Medicare Advantage plans was assessed by J.D. Power based on six factors: coverage and benefits, provider choice, pricing, customer service, information and communication, and billing and payment. Cigna HealthSpring, a Cigna subsidiary, had an overall score of 822 out of 1,000, placing it third among the top nine Medicare Advantage providers.
NCQA Score Range: 2.5 to 3.5 out of 5
The National Committee for Quality Assurance assigns a 5-star rating to health insurance plans based on clinical quality, member satisfaction, and the NCQA’s accrediting survey findings. The evaluations emphasize the outcomes of care and what patients have to say about it.
The NCQA assigned Cigna plans 2.5 to 3.5 stars in its September 2021 ratings [12]. Cigna HealthCare of Georgia and HealthSpring of Tennessee were the two plans that scored a 2.5. (doing business as Cigna HealthSpring of Illinois).
Compare alternatives
See how Medicare Advantage competitors stack up to Cigna.
Compare Medicare Advantage providers | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Company | Percent in a 4-star plan or higher | Service area | Average Medicare star rating (2022) |
87%. | 46 states and Washington, D.C. | 3.8. | |
59%. | 44 states. | 4.1. | |
87%. | 26 states and Washington, D.C. | 4.2. | |
93%. | 50 states, Washington, D.C. and Puerto Rico. | 4.1. | |
100%. | 8 states and Washington, D.C. | 5. | |
76%. | 50 states, Washington, D.C., American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. | 4.2. | |
26%. | 36 states. | 3.6. | |
About Cigna
Connecticut General Corporation, or CG, and the Insurance Company of North America, or INA, combined in 1982 to become Cigna, which is based in Bloomfield, Connecticut. Cigna provides individual and family health insurance, as well as dental insurance, Medicare Advantage, Part D plans, Medicare Supplement Insurance, and additional insurance products such as whole life and cancer treatment insurance. Business insurance is also available via the firm. Cigna’s adjusted sales in 2020 were $160 billion.
Find the right Medicare Advantage plan
Before choosing a health plan for yourself, it’s critical to do your homework. Here are a few questions to think about:
- What are the plan’s costs? Do you know what the premium, deductibles, copays, and/or coinsurance will be for the plan? Are you able to afford them?
- Is your doctor in-network? Check to see whether your desired medical provider or providers are part of the plan’s network.
- Are your prescriptions covered? It’s critical to understand how your plan covers medicine if you’re on it. Are there any coverage rules that apply to your prescription medicines, and what tier are they on?
- Is there dental coverage? Is routine vision, dental, and hearing coverage included in the plan?
- Are there extras? Is there any additional coverage, such as gym memberships, transportation, or food delivery, included in the plan?
If you have any further Medicare inquiries, go to Medicare.gov or contact 800-MEDICARE (800-633-4227, TTY 877-486-2048).
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FAQs
Is Cigna and Cigna-HealthSpring the same?
Cigna and HealthSpring are both dedicated to improving the health, well-being, and sense of security of the individuals we serve. HealthSpring will be better positioned for future development and leadership in the Medicare Advantage market as part of Cigna.
Is Cigna true choice HealthSpring?
You are a Cigna-HealthSpring True Choice member at the moment (PPO). The plan’s price and benefits will alter somewhat next year.
What is Cigna-HealthSpring care?
Cigna TotalCare (HMO D-SNP) has a provider network that includes doctors, hospitals, pharmacies, and other healthcare professionals. If you use providers who are not part of our network, your plan may not cover these costs. Prescriptions for approved Part D medications must normally be filled at network pharmacies.
What provider portal does Cigna use?
The Cigna for Health Care Provider’s website, CignaforHCP.com, has all of the information, tools, and resources you’ll need to support your office’s day-to-day needs. Examine the patient’s eligibility for services and benefits.
How do I verify my Cigna-HealthSpring?
There are three ways to determine whether or not you are a Cigna-HealthSpring STAR+PLUS member.
- Speak with a representative from Cigna-HealthSpring.
- Call 1 (866) 467-3126 to use Cigna-Automated HealthSpring’s Eligibility Verification Line.
- Use the Cigna-HealthSpring Provider Portal to check your eligibility online.
What is the phone number for Cigna-HealthSpring?
1 (800) 997-1654
Is Cigna Medicare or non Medicare?
Restrictions due to location. In 16 states and Washington, D.C., Cigna offers Medicare Advantage plans, as well as Medicare Prescription Drug Plans in all 50 states. Except for Massachusetts and New York, Cigna’s Medicare Supplement Insurance (Medigap) policies are available in every state.
What states is Cigna Medicare Advantage in?
Alabama, Arkansas, Arizona, Colorado, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Kansas, Missouri, Maryland, Mississippi, New Jersey, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, and the District of Columbia are among the states where Cigna offers Medicare Advantage plans.
Does Cigna cover Medicare deductible?
Cigna Medicare Supplement Plan G is a Medicare Supplement Plan offered by Cigna.
Except for the Part B deductible, Plan G covers all of the services provided under Plan F. If you are eligible for Medicare in 2020 or later and are looking for comprehensive supplemental coverage, this is a wonderful option.
How do I check the status of my Cigna portal?
How to Check a Claim’s Status There are two ways to verify a claim’s payment status: The Cigna STAR+PLUS Provider Portal can be found here. Call 1 (877) 653-0331 to speak with a Cigna STAR+PLUS representative.
