Cigna is cutting down its Affordable Care Act exchange footprint down to 14 states, the company said Monday.
While the insurer will grow into 15 additional counties in North Carolina, it said it will not offer plans in Kansas or Missouri for 2024, states it serviced in 2023. Cigna said the additional counties will allow it to reach 200,000 more potential members.
Cigna intends to offer plans in 350 counties for 2024, just shy of the 363 it served in 2023, according to the announcement.
A Cigna Healthcare spokesperson confirmed the state exits to Fierce Healthcare, and said that the insurer will also depart two counties in Arizona and two in Utah. The spokesperson said that Cigna's goal is to provide access to high-quality care and offer significant value to its customers, and the company was "not able to offer that standard of product at an affordable price in these markets."
However, the spokesperson said that the insurer remains committed to "growing our presence in the ACA marketplace."
“We take a thoughtful and deliberate approach to our geographic presence to ensure our plans meet high standards for affordability, network quality and comprehensive coverage,” said Chris DeRosa, president of Cigna's U.S. Government business, in the press release. “Cigna has continuously maintained our presence in the ACA Marketplace over the past ten years, and we are proud to continue using our expertise to help customers have a healthier future.”
In total, Cigna intends to offer plans in Arizona, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah and Virginia.
Alongside the geographic footprint, Cigna offered a look at the benefits it intends to bake into its ACA plans. Members who enroll in its coverage on the exchanges will have access to 24/7 virtual medical and behavioral healthcare from MDLive, both via video and phone. This includes virtual primary care and dermatology, as well as $0 wellness screenings and urgent care visits.
All of Cigna's plans will also offer $0 preventive care services, as well as $0 copayments and deductibles on a list of other services. Copayments for primary care visits generally range from $0 to $70, Cigna said, and for non-emergency urgent care visits range from $30 to $110, according to the announcement.
On the pharmacy side, members will be able to obtain $0 generics from Cigna's preferred list as well as capped costs on insulin through its Patient Assurance program.
"Health and well-being are key to a person’s overall vitality, which is why we provide comprehensive medical, behavioral, and pharmacy benefits and a host of other features that make it simple for customers to access affordable care when and where they need it,” DeRosa said.
Open enrollment on the ACA exchanges begins on Nov. 1. Plans purchased by Dec. 15 will take effect on Jan. 1, 2024.