Health service company CIGNA (NYSE: CI) has earned the top ranking among national health plans for the industry’s key customer communication, the Explanation of Benefits. CIGNA's Explanation of Benefits is one of only three to earn an “Excellent” designation for Clarity, Content and Design in an evaluation by DALBAR, Inc.
“Explanations of Benefits are the primary communication between health insurers and their customers”
Leading third-party evaluator DALBAR analyzed the usefulness of this customer summary of care charges and benefit payments from 34 leading carriers, finding more than two-thirds (68 percent) of Explanations of Benefits earned failing grades.
“Explanations of Benefits are the primary communication between health insurers and their customers,” said Kathleen Whalen, Managing Director at DALBAR. “Clearly CIGNA recognizes the importance of this communication to American consumers and has transformed them into understandable and, indeed, useful consumer tools.”
According to CIGNA Customer Experience Officer Ingrid Lindberg: “We’ve been listening to our customers, and it shows in our high ranking for this crucial communication. By helping people to understand how their health plans work, evaluate what their options are and make informed decisions, then everyone – individuals, employers, health plans and health care professionals -- can sharpen their focus on the real goal: improving health.”
DALBAR evaluated health plan EOBs using a method that has been developed and refined over the past two decades of evaluating print communication. Communications earned credit for including features that strongly impact a consumer's ability to act prudently and make decisions. Features include the ability to understand the significance of the information, answer pertinent questions and utilize design elements that enhanced their overall effectiveness.
CIGNA's improved Explanation of Benefits is the latest in a series of innovative customer resources that includes online services to make it easier for people to find providers of the care they need, receive accurate estimates of treatment costs and plan benefits, manage their health care expenses, reconcile their costs and pay their medical bills online.
The new Explanation of Benefits is now available to all individuals enrolled in CIGNA medical plans effective January 1, 2010. About 40 million of these statements are expected to be distributed this year.
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