Cigna’s Evernorth Health Services is launching an outpatient behavioral health practice as health … [+] insurers and healthcare providers integrate mental health services with medical care to better address patient needs., the company said March 7, 2024. In this photo is The Cigna Group headquarters in Bloomfield, Connecticut, US, on Friday, Oct. 27, 2023. Photographer: Joe Buglewicz/Bloomberg
Cigna’s Evernorth Health Services is launching an outpatient behavioral health practice as health insurers and healthcare providers integrate mental health services with medical care to better address patient needs.
Increasingly, studies show patients with multiple chronic medical conditions tend to also suffer behavioral health issues, which is not lost on executives at Evernorth, the pharmacy and healthcare provider services business of The Cigna Group. Thus, the practice is designed to “expand access to quality, in-network therapy for millions of people,” Cigna said in an announcement Thursday before the company’s 2024 investor day.
“The Evernorth Behavioral Care Group will provide evidence-based, outcome-driven care both online and in-person through a simpler care delivery experience,” the company said.
As part of the new practice and service already available in six states plus Washington, DC., Evernorth executives say patients can book an appointment and are “guaranteed to see a clinician who matches their unique goals and preferences within 72 hours.” Evernorth’s plan calls for a nationwide rollout by early 2025.
“The vast majority of people struggle to get help when they need it, and individual practitioners lack the tools and technology to make access easy and measure quality,” said Eva Borden, president of Evernorth Health Services behavioral health. “Evernorth is committed to building a care experience that quickly and seamlessly connects a patient with the right clinician, while empowering clinicians to focus on patient care by removing administrative burdens.”
Evernorth executives say the practice will participate in the company’s “behavioral health measurement program,” which will track various metrics such as “how long it takes a patient to get an appointment.”
“Quality behavioral health care is critical to a person’s overall health and vitality, and we are relentlessly focused on connecting patients quickly and easily with clinicians that match their goals and preferences,” said Amy Ayrault, president of Evernorth Behavioral Care Group. “By creating a simple care experience, patients can focus on feeling better, and clinicians can focus on delivering best-in-class care.”
