BLOOMFIELD, Conn., Nov. 1, 2005 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- CIGNA HealthCare today announced that it has agreed with Publix Pharmacies to co-brand CIGNA’s CIGNATURE Rx(SM) Medicare Part D Prescription Drug Plan and collaborate on co- sponsored educational communications. Under the agreement, Publix Pharmacies and CIGNA will jointly inform and educate residents of Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, Alabama and Tennessee about the CIGNATURE Rx Medicare Prescription Drug Plan. Publix has selected CIGNA HealthCare as the only Medicare Part D prescription drug plan sponsor with which it will co-brand a Medicare Part D prescription drug plan card.
“We are pleased to work with Publix to offer people in the Southeastern U.S. access to our simple, affordable Medicare Part D prescription drug plans,” said Terri Swanson, vice president of CIGNA Senior Care. “Publix’s significant market presence in the region is a key differentiator because it helps provide CIGNA Medicare prescription drug beneficiaries in the Southeast convenient access. We look forward to working with Publix to educate beneficiaries on the new prescription drug benefit and the CIGNATURE Rx plan options.”
CIGNA will offer three different CIGNATURE Rx Medicare Part D plan options, in alliance with NationsHealth, Inc. Options will include a no- deductible plan and a plan that provides an increased level of coverage for generic drugs through the coverage gap. Each of the options will feature broad access to prescription drugs. Plan participants will be able to obtain their prescriptions at any of the more than 50,000 CIGNATURE Rx participating network pharmacies nationwide, including more than 629 Publix Pharmacies in the Southeastern United States.
“Selecting CIGNA to co-brand a Medicare Part D prescription drug plan will enable us to offer our patients an excellent choice for coverage under Medicare Part D,” said Maria Brous, Director of Media and Community Relations of Publix. “Publix’s business objective focuses on providing the customer value, and CIGNA’s Medicare Part D plans are well aligned with our objectives.”
CIGNA will make educational information available to Publix customers at pharmacy departments in each of Publix’s retail locations. Customers who enroll will be issued a co-branded CIGNA/Publix prescription drug card allowing prescriptions to be filled at CIGNA network participating pharmacies, including any Publix Pharmacies.
In addition to welcoming CIGNA Part D Prescription plan cards at its pharmacies, Publix will also accept Medicare Part D prescription drug cards from the other Medicare Part D providers approved by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.
About Publix
Publix is owned and operated by its 132,000 employees, with 2004 sales of $18.6 billion. Currently Publix has 865 stores in Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, Alabama and Tennessee. The company has been named one of Fortune’s “100 Best Companies to Work For in America” for eight consecutive years. In addition, for the third year in a row, Publix Super Markets Inc. has been named the No. 1 supermarket pharmacy in customer satisfaction in the nation by Wilson Health Information, a leading consumer research firm. For more information, visit the company’s Web site, http://www.publix.com.
About CIGNA
CIGNA will offer its Medicare Part D plans in all 50 states and the District of Columbia in alliance with NationsHealth, Inc. . The alliance combines CIGNA’s pharmacy product capabilities with NationsHealth’s experience in service and distribution to the Medicare population.
CIGNA HealthCare, headquartered in Bloomfield, CT, provides medical benefits plans, dental coverage, behavioral health coverage, pharmacy benefits, and products and services that integrate and analyze information to support consumerism and health advocacy. “CIGNA” and “CIGNA HealthCare” refers to various operating subsidiaries of CIGNA Corporation . Products and services are provided by these operating subsidiaries and not by CIGNA Corporation.
CIGNA HealthCare
CONTACT: Patricia Caballero, CIGNA, +1-201-533-5028,patricia.caballero@cigna.com; or Maria Brous, Publix, +1-863-688-1188x55339, maria.brous@publix.com
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