Business
Cigna doesn't go exclusive with labs
NEWS IN BRIEF — Posted June 25, 2007
Instead of following in the footsteps of UnitedHealth Group and Aetna and signing an exclusive deal with an independent laboratory services company, Cigna decided to keep up a relationship with both Quest Diagnostics and Laboratory Corp. of America.
On June 7, Burlington, N.C.-based LabCorp announced it had signed a multiyear deal with Cigna to become a "preferred provider" of lab services nationwide. But unlike United's deal with LabCorp, Quest remains in Cigna's network. Quest also had recently signed a deal with Aetna granting it national exclusivity, leaving its rival LabCorp out of the plan's network.
One gain LabCorp did make was that as of the contract's effective date, Jan. 1, 2008, it will no longer be restricted from marketing itself as a member of Cigna's network.
Note: This item originally appeared at http://www.ama-assn.org/amednews/2007/06/25/bibf0625.htm.
