BLOOMFIELD, Conn., Aug. 18, 2006 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- CIGNA HealthCare today announced it is expanding the availability of its depression disease management program so that benefit plan sponsors can offer a single, consistent clinical care program for depression across their entire workforce.
As part of the program expansion, CIGNA will integrate and analyze data from an employer’s health care and pharmacy benefits vendors along with the employer’s behavioral health data to deliver depression disease management services. The program will be administered by CIGNA Behavioral Health (CBH), an industry leader in providing behavioral health care benefits and programs. The program will also be available through CareAllies, which offers benefit plan sponsors and third-party administrators health management programs regardless of their medical plan or provider network.
“Depression is a terrible illness and is a primary driver of medical costs and poor productivity. What is truly groundbreaking is our ability to use data from a variety of sources and vendors to target our outreach efforts into primary care settings. This also means we can simplify the administration of the program for employers,” said Keith Dixon, president and CEO of CIGNA Behavioral Health.
CIGNA HealthCare first launched its depression disease management program for members enrolled in a CIGNA HealthCare medical plan in January 2006. Today, approximately 1.5 million CIGNA members have access to the program through their employers’ benefits plans. Early analysis of the program indicates that members are reporting improvements in depression symptoms and in adherence to anti-depressant medication.
“CIGNA’s Depression Disease Management program goes beyond the depression education programs currently being offered in the marketplace,” says Jodi Aronson Prohofsky, senior vice president of operations for CBH. “The difference is our proactive outreach and the ability of our behavioral health coaches to help members by understanding their barriers and what motivates and engages them.”
The Depression Disease Management program integrates behavioral, pharmacy and medical management data to more readily identify members with depression and assist them in receiving appropriate care. Program features include:
- Proactive intervention and personalized coaching from CBH professionals; - Identification and intervention to avoid drug interactions and ensure appropriate pharmacy management of anti-depressants; - Ongoing education and support for the member from behavioral health specialists to help them follow treatment protocols recommended by their primary care physician and coordinate referrals for more specialized care as needed; - Information and tools for members and family members to help them better understand and manage depression and potential medication side- effects; - Education about depression and depression management for primary care physicians and OB/GYNs as well as customized feedback about their patients’ progress to help ensure seamless and coordinated care.
CIGNA HealthCare implemented its first CIGNA Well Aware for Better Health(R) disease management program in 1997 and today provides the nation’s largest population-based disease management program. Over 700,000 people participate in its award-winning programs for asthma, cardiac care, diabetes, low back pain, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, depression, weight complications and a group of ten additional targeted conditions including osteoporosis, hepatitis C, and fibromyalgia.
About CIGNA
As a Business of Caring, CIGNA provides employers with benefits, expertise and services that improve the health, well-being and productivity of their employees. Serving customers, clients and members in the U.S. and around the globe, CIGNA’s operating subsidiaries offer a full portfolio of medical, dental, behavioral health, pharmacy and vision care benefits and group life, accident and disability insurance. For more information, go to http://www.cigna.com.
About CIGNA Behavioral Health
CIGNA Behavioral Health (CBH) provides behavioral care benefit management, EAPs, and work/life programs to consumers through health plans offered by large U.S. employers, national and regional HMOs, Taft-Hartley trusts and disability insurers. CBH, with headquarters in Eden Prairie, Minn., operates five care management centers around the U.S. in support of a national network of more than 56,800 independent psychiatrists, psychologists and clinical social workers and more than 5,100 facilities and clinics. For more information, visit http://www.CIGNABehavioral.com.
About CareAllies
CareAllies offers benefit plan sponsors and their employees a proactive, consistent and consumer-focused approach to health and wellness, regardless of their medical plan or provider network. CareAllies’ proprietary health management and wellness program suite helps employees improve their health and productivity through patient support, motivation and coaching, medical information and assistance with management of clinical services. CareAllies programs are administered through Intracorp, a CIGNA HealthCare company. For more information, visit http://www.careallies.com.
CIGNA Behavioral Health
CONTACT: Amy Turkington, CIGNA Behavioral Health, +1-860-226-3489
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