Cigna-HealthSpring Announces 2019 Medicare Advantage Plans with New Benefits Championing Access to High-Quality, Personalized and Affordable Care

Business Wire

Annual premiums $0 in nearly half of MA plans
Nearly 90 percent of customers will have a $0 copay to visit a primary care physician
Nutritious home-delivered meals are provided at no cost to ease the transition from hospital to home in most plans
New nationwide prescription drug plan offers $0 deductible for covered drugs in most states, low annual premiums and $0 copays for some drugs

NASHVILLE, Tenn.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Cigna-HealthSpring, a leading provider of Medicare Advantage (MA) plans, introduced its 2019 plans with more comprehensive benefits and a new nationwide prescription drug plan delivering personalized, affordable and quality health and well-being services. The company continues to offer a connected approach to quality care that improves the health and well-being of customers, while increasing affordability.

“Our goal is to help the people we serve live healthier, more secure lives, and we offer personalized, affordable and easy-to-use health care solutions to help them every step of the way,” said Brian Evanko, president of Cigna-HealthSpring.

Cigna-HealthSpring is maintaining or reducing premiums in 87 percent of its MA plans compared to last year, and nearly half of its MA plans feature a $0 premium. Additionally, 87 percent of plans will have a $0 copay for primary care physician office visits. More than 85 percent of Cigna-HealthSpring’s current MA customers are cared for by a health care provider in an engaged physician model that employs a team approach and supports the doctor-patient relationship through clinical and customer engagement, holistic care coordination and detailed analytics.

Cigna-HealthSpring MA plan benefits may include:

Preventive care services including health screenings, dental, hearing and vision
Dedicated health services team works directly with physicians to help individuals access medication, therapies, education and community resources
24/7 Health Information Line (HIL) with nurses available to answer general medical questions and to help individuals determine where to go for care
Transportation to medical appointments and pharmacies
Wellness and convenience services, such as a fitness program

For the first time, most customers will now have access to nutritious home-delivered meals at no extra cost for one week following an acute inpatient hospital stay. The meals incorporate individual dietary restrictions, and are delivered frozen with preparation instructions. Meal delivery personnel will also visually check the home environment to assess safety.

“We know lack of adequate nutrition can be challenging to someone trying to regain their strength following hospitalization,” Evanko said. “Through this program, we hope to provide people with a stable environment in which to recover so they don’t have to return to the hospital.”

Cigna-HealthSpring now offers Medicare Advantage plans in 16 states, including Alabama, Arkansas, Arizona, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Kansas, Missouri, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas and the District of Columbia.

In Florida, Cigna is expanding to the Orlando area, where it will offer two Medicare Advantage plans: a traditional HMO and an HMO geared toward people dually eligible for Medicare and Medicaid. These plans will be offered in Lake, Orange, Osceola, Polk and Seminole counties. Cigna also offers Medicare Supplement plans in 48 states.

The company also will offer standalone prescription drug plans (PDPs) in all states, including a new plan called Secure-Essential with low monthly premiums of $22 or less, low copays and no deductible for many generic drugs. Through this plan, customers can save money by using Cigna-HealthSpring’s preferred pharmacy network, which includes more than 32,000 pharmacies nationwide. Cigna-HealthSpring will continue to offer the Secure and Secure-Extra PDP plans as well. Customers in the Secure-Extra and Secure-Essential plans can save money this year by utilizing mail order for their prescription drug needs.

Medicare’s Annual Enrollment Period (AEP) begins Oct. 15 and continues through Dec. 7. Health benefit plans purchased during AEP are effective Jan. 1, 2019.

For more details about Cigna-HealthSpring’s Medicare plans, please visit https://www.cigna.com/medicare/cigna-healthspring.

About Cigna-HealthSpring

Cigna-HealthSpring is a Medicare Advantage health services company committed to helping our nation's Medicare and Medicaid beneficiaries live healthier, more active lives through personalized, affordable and easy-to-use health care solutions.

All Cigna products and services are provided exclusively by or through operating subsidiaries of Cigna Corporation, including Cigna Health and Life Insurance Company, Cigna HealthCare of South Carolina, Inc., Cigna HealthCare of North Carolina, Inc., Cigna HealthCare of Georgia, Inc., Cigna HealthCare of Arizona, Inc., Cigna HealthCare of St. Louis, Inc., HealthSpring Life & Health Insurance Company, Inc., HealthSpring of Florida, Inc., Bravo Health Mid-Atlantic, Inc., and Bravo Health Pennsylvania, Inc. The Cigna name, logos, and other Cigna marks are owned by Cigna Intellectual Property, Inc. This information is not a complete description of benefits. Call 1-800-668-3813 (TTY 711) for more information. Cigna-HealthSpring complies with applicable federal civil rights laws and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, disability, or sex. Cigna-HealthSpring cumple con las layes federales de derechos civiles aplicables y no discrimina por motivos de raza, color, nacionalidad, edad, discapacidad o sexo. English: ATTENTION: If you speak English, language assistance services, free of charge, are available to you. Call 1-800-668-3813 (TTY 711). Spanish: ATENCIÓN: Si habla español, tiene a su disposición servicios gratuitos de asistencia lingüística. Llame al 1-800-668-3813 (TTY 711). Chinese: 注意：如果您使用繁體/中文，您可以免費獲得語言援助服務請致電 1-800-668-3813 (TTY 711). All Cigna products and services are provided exclusively by or through operating subsidiaries of Cigna Corporation. The Cigna name, logos, and other Cigna marks are owned by Cigna Intellectual Property, Inc. Cigna is contracted with Medicare for PDP plans, HMO and PPO plans in select states, and with select State Medicaid programs. Enrollment in Cigna depends on contract renewal.