Business
Insurer expands custom-benefit program to smaller employers
NEWS IN BRIEF — Posted Aug. 28, 2006
Cigna is expanding a program that allows customers to build their own insurance plans to include mid-sized employers with 500 or more employees in Connecticut, New Jersey and New York. Cigna's Custom Benefit Builder allows consumers to build a customized health benefits plan, which the company said can give employers a better fit for their own health care and financial needs.
Cigna said it's expanding the program to smaller employers because of increased interest. The program was introduced earlier this year to large employers nationwide.
Physicians expressed concerns because they feared they might not be aware of what is or isn't covered under the custom-designed plans until the procedure has been completely adjudicated. But Cigna said the Custom Benefit Builder is an enrollment tool only and once the member enrolls, the plans function as other Cigna PPO plans.
Using a Web-based program, consumers can compare and then personalize various co-payment and coinsurance levels, deductibles and out-of-pocket maximums. As the consumer inputs the choices into the program, it calculates how much the plan will cost, and consumers can then enroll for benefits.
Note: This item originally appeared at http://www.ama-assn.org/amednews/2006/08/28/bibf0828.htm.
