Cigna Launches Medical Plan With Supplemental Cash Benefits

The plan will initially be available to employers with 500 to 2,999 employees that currently offer a high-deductible health plan (HDHP). Cigna said it plans to expand availability in 2028.

Cigna Healthcare has launched Medical with Smart Coverage, a new employer-sponsored health plan that connects medical and supplemental benefits to help members manage unexpected costs associated with major health events.

The plan will initially be available to employers with 500 to 2,999 employees that currently offer a high-deductible health plan (HDHP). Cigna said it plans to expand availability in 2028.

Under the new offering, eligible members can receive up to $7,000 in supplemental cash benefits following qualifying health events. The funds can be used for expenses such as transportation, child care and hotel stays.

Cigna said the offering is the first of its kind in the industry. The plan incorporates the insurer's Simple File Sync Plus platform, which automatically matches qualifying medical claims with applicable supplemental benefits.

The automated claims-matching process is intended to reduce the steps members need to take to access eligible cash benefits and help them identify supplemental coverage that may otherwise go unused.

Paul Virtell, president of supplemental health at Cigna Healthcare, said the company developed the offering to bring medical and supplemental coverage closer together.

"Supplemental health is a tool that can be used to address affordability," Virtell told Fierce Healthcare, adding that Cigna saw an opportunity to connect benefits that traditionally operate separately.

The launch follows findings from a Cigna Healthcare-Ipsos study, which found that nearly 60% of Americans do not feel financially prepared for a substantial health event. About 44% of respondents said they spent at least $1,000 after receiving a diagnosis, while fewer than one-third were aware that supplemental benefits could help cover expenses such as groceries and child care.

The survey also found that 56% of respondents believe linking medical and supplemental benefits would make it easier to access available coverage.

Virtell said Cigna is evaluating additional ways to connect the two benefit categories as the new plan rolls out. Currently, only about 20% to 25% of eligible enrollees typically select supplemental coverage alongside their health plan, according to Cigna.

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