June 2008

Important Change in Access to Care Outside Connecticut for CIGNA Members

We have been advised that CIGNA will be notifying all Connecticut members of a network change. We are bringing this to your attention to assist you with any questions or concerns that your clients or their employees may have.

Beginning in 2009, CIGNA members will no longer have access to specialty care outside of Connecticut paid on an in-network basis. The change will take effect on a company’s 2009 renewal date. This does not affect employees enrolled in CIGNA Open Access Plus plans (CIGNA HSA 1500A or POS 2000).

CIGNA members currently enrolled in a CIGNA HMO or HMO Point-of-Service plan will receive notification of this change directly from CIGNA over the next few weeks. Although the change does not take effect until the group’s 2009 renewal date, CIGNA is required to notify its members at this time due to regulatory compliance. View a sample of the CIGNA member letter here.

We have reviewed the member letter and created an Employee Q&A to help you explain how CBIA Health Connections participants may be impacted by the change. Please provide this document to your clients (and their employees) as needed.

While CIGNA states in the member letter that their “employer has been notified”, that is not the case with small employers participating through the CBIA Health Connections program. The letter was generated for all Connecticut CIGNA members, not specific to CBIA Health Connections enrollees.

If any CIGNA enrollees have concerns about their specific health care coverage needs, they should call Member Services at 1-800-CIGNA24, the toll-free number listed on their CIGNA ID card. If you have any questions concerning this change, please contact your CBIA Account Management Team.