Cigna Launches Hospital Indemnity Insurance Coverage

PHILADELPHIA – March 21, 2016 – Cigna’s (NYSE:CI) new group hospital indemnity insurance policy, called Cigna Hospital Care, provides individuals and families additional financial protection when an unexpected covered hospitalization occurs. Available starting in April 2016, the new plan is part of Cigna's complete suite of voluntary benefit offerings which includes accidental injury, critical illness, dental, vision, AD&D, life and disability coverages.

“Whether recovering from an illness or injury or simply returning to work, we want to help customers worry less about medical bills and focus more on getting back to health and to life,” Mark Marsters, senior vice president, Group Operations for Cigna. “We designed our voluntary benefits to fit seamlessly into any comprehensive benefit package. They also provide employees more choices to help match the amount of financial protection to their individual benefit needs.”

A complementary product to major medical plans, Cigna Hospital Care addresses the unique needs of both employers and individuals:

• Plans can be designed to include benefits for a wide range of hospital-related services
• It complements coverage to any medical plan, regardless of which insurer is chosen for medical coverage
• The coverage is portable and can be taken with an employee if they leave their employer (age and other restrictions apply)
• For employers, Cigna Hospital Care is easy to administer and can be designed to fit into any comprehensive benefit package
• Employers also have the option to add a wellness rider, which would pay a flat dollar amount to employees who receive an annual wellness health screening

If a customer is hospitalized due to a covered injury or illness, Cigna Hospital Care pays them a lump sum that can be used as they see fit for things like out-of-pocket medical costs, hiring extra help for child care or housework during recovery and other expenses that may come up. With two-thirds of Americans living paycheck-to-paycheck, costs associated with a hospital admission can be an unexpected challenge to an individual’s finances.[i] According to the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), Americans saw approximately 36 million inpatient stays nationwide in a single year, while the average hospital charges per stay increased 76 percent since 2000 to $10,730 in 2013.[ii] These average costs do not include a physician’s fees.

Cigna’s new group insurance policy will be available for employers to receive a quote in April 2016.

HOSPITAL INDEMNITY POLICIES PAY LIMITED BENEFITS ONLY. THIS COVERAGE DOES NOT SATISFY THE “MINIMIUM ESSENTIAL COVERAGE” OR INDIVIDUAL MANDATE REQUIREMENTS OF THE AFFORDABLE CARE ACT (ACA). Product availability may vary by location and plan type and is subject to change.

About Cigna

Cigna Corporation (NYSE: CI) is a global health service company dedicated to helping people improve their health, well-being and sense of security. All products and services are provided exclusively by or through operating subsidiaries of Cigna Corporation, including Connecticut General Life Insurance Company, Cigna Health and Life Insurance Company, Life Insurance Company of North America and Cigna Life Insurance Company of New York. Such products and services include an integrated suite of health services, such as medical, dental, behavioral health, pharmacy, vision, supplemental benefits, and other related products including group life, accident and disability insurance. Cigna maintains sales capability in 30 countries and jurisdictions, and has more than 90 million customer relationships throughout the world. To learn more about Cigna®, including links to follow us on Facebook or Twitter, visit www.cigna.com

[i] American Payroll Association, “Getting Paid in American Survey.” 2014.

[ii] HCUP Fast Stats. Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project (HCUP). December 2015. Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, Rockville, MD. www.hcup-us.ahrq.gov/faststats/national/inpatienttrends.jsp?measure1=01&characteristic1=01&time1=10&measure2=01&characteristic2=01&time2=20&expansionInfoState=hide&dataTablesState=hide&definitionsState=hide&exportState=hide