Cigna Enters Into 3 ACO-Like Pacts

Health insurer Cigna has entered into three accountable care arrangements with major providers in Southern California.

The arrangements between Cigna and Scripps Health in San Diego, the UCLA Medical Group and Facey Medical Group in the San Fernando Valley were announced this week. They began on Jan. 1.

The agreement with Facey covers 2,500 of its patients who are enrolled with Cigna. Under the program, they will receive more highly coordinated care. Of particular focus will be patients recently discharged from the hospital; those who are overdue for health screenings; and those who have failed to refill their prescriptions.

“We recognize that patients often are overwhelmed by their health needs and the information they receive during appointments, and they might not remember important details,” said Facey Medical Director Erik Davydov, M.D. “This program will help Facey patients, especially those with chronic conditions, by providing follow-up calls to make sure their physicians’ recommendations are followed and any questions answered.”

The arrangement with Scripps includes 10,000 of its patients. The UCLA agreement involves 5,900 patients. All focus on improving the care received by patients to ensure they are not hospitalized or re-hospitalized and drive up costs. 

“This new affiliation provides us with an important framework in our mission to provide accountable, better coordinated patient care,” said Samuel A. Skootsky, M.D. chief medical officer of the UCLA Faculty Practice and UCLA Medical Group.

The care that is being delivered is coordinated through specially trained nurses who used electronic health records to help identify patients who might need extra attention. They work closely with Cigna case workers to ensure they are sent to the appropriate providers.

“Together our goal is to change the health care system from one that pays for the number or volume of services to one that places more emphasis on the quality and results of that care,” said Gene Rapisardi, general managed for Cigna's operations in Southern California. “We believe this change will lead to better health, lower costs and increased satisfaction for both our customers and their doctors.”

Cigna calls such structures Cigna Collaborative Care rather than ACOs. It now has seven such arrangements in California and 114 nationwide.