CIGNA Teams With CareCentrix to Reduce Hospital Readmissions

According to a recent study, one in five hospital discharges is complicated by an adverse event within 30 days, often leading to emergency care or re-hospitalization.¹ To combat this problem, CIGNA (NYSE:CI) and CareCentrix, Inc., have teamed up to offer the Care Transitions Program to people enrolled in a CIGNA health plan after they’ve been discharged from the hospital. CareCentrix will provide specialized home nursing services that will help these individuals transition from hospital care to home recovery.

The Care Transitions Program will be offered initially in Texas over the next 12 months to people enrolled in a CIGNA health plan who are identified as at-risk for hospital readmissions. The program will be extended to more people in additional locations in 2011.

"Nobody wants to return to the hospital after they’ve been discharged, but without access to proper care and support at home, many people develop complications that can send them back within just a few weeks,” said Dr. Scott Josephs, national medical officer for CIGNA. "Through the Care Transitions Program we’re offering with CareCentrix we hope to decrease hospital readmissions and help people have a safe recovery at home.”

The Care Transitions Program was developed in conjunction with physicians and researchers who specialize in hospital discharge and transition planning. It will provide people with clinical education, resources and guidance from nurses who will monitor and support their hospital discharge, transition and recovery at home. The program will provide support in five key areas including:

• Identifying a caregiver and involving that person in the individual’s care
• Educating individuals and their caregivers about the individual’s hospital discharge plan
• Building awareness of the individual’s condition, signs/symptoms of the condition and what to do if the individual’s condition worsens
• Helping individuals manage their prescriptions and other medications
• Facilitating follow-up medical appointments

"We are excited to expand our relationship with CIGNA to bring the Care Transitions Program to the people CIGNA serves,” said Eric Reimer, chief executive officer, CareCentrix. "We are leveraging our home health care expertise and extensive home care provider network to provide people with proven and timely support to ensure they successfully transition from the hospital to recovering in the comfort of their home. In addition to reducing the number of hospital readmissions, our goal is to support people enrolled in a CIGNA health plan achieve better health outcomes over the long-term.”

About CIGNA

CIGNA (NYSE:CI), a global health service company, is dedicated to helping people improve their health, well being and sense of security. CIGNA Corporation's operating subsidiaries provide an integrated suite of medical, dental, behavioral health, pharmacy and vision care benefits, as well as group life, accident and disability insurance, to approximately 46 million people throughout the United States and around the world. To learn more about CIGNA, visit www.cigna.com. To sign up for email alerts or an RSS feed of company news, log on to http://newsroom.cigna.com/rss/. Also, follow us on Twitter: @cigna and visit CIGNA’s YouTube channel at http://www.youtube.com/cignatv.

About CareCentrix

Founded in 1996, CareCentrix manages home nursing, infusion and medical equipment services for more than 10 million people across the country through a network of 5,000 credentialed home care providers. The company provides health care plans and providers with a one-stop solution that coordinates care for patients in the home including skilled nursing services, durable medical equipment and home infusion drug therapies. CareCentrix has developed a new program that will help payers and providers reduce the rising rate of hospital readmissions. CareCentrix is headquartered in East Hartford, Connecticut, and has operations in Melville, New York; Phoenix, Arizona; Tampa, Florida; and Albuquerque, New Mexico; and a new regional care center recently opened in Overland Park, Kansas. For more information about CareCentrix visit www.carecentrix.com.

¹ Forster AJ, Murff HJ, Peterson JF, et al. The incidence and severity of adverse events affecting patients after discharge from the hospital. Ann Intern Med 2003; 138: 161-167.