Cigna Collaborative Care to benefit Boston's NEQCA patients

Cigna today announced its latest collaborative care arrangement with New England Quality Care Alliance (NEQCA).

As the second arrangement of its type in the Boston area, the initiative will benefit more than 10,000 Cigna health plan members. The patients receive care from the NEQCA network of physicians affiliated with Tufts Medical Center.

“We continue to see great success with these types of arrangements throughout New England and throughout the country, and we look forward to working with NEQCA, a demonstrated leader in population health, through this consultative partnership to improve health care in Greater Boston,” Cigna's President and New England General Manager Mark Butler said. “When we reward doctors for the value of their care and focus on prevention, wellness, health improvement and care coordination, we can create a system that benefits everyone who uses, pays for or delivers health care.”

Cigna Collaborative Care is intended to keep medical costs down while improving its members' health care experience. The program helps prevent missed appointments and health screenings, assist patients with prescription regimes and improve follow up care as patients return home from the hospital.

“Cigna Collaborative Care exemplifies the values of our network, and provides an opportunity for our physicians to continue to demonstrate their ability to successfully meet quality and financial targets," NEQCA President and CEO Dr. Jeff Lasker said. "Year over year, we have brought value to patients and payers through targeted quality improvement and clinical programs. By sharing data and resources, and with the support of Cigna care coordinators, we believe this new partnership can enhance the care we deliver to all of our patients by identifying earlier stages of disease and individuals at risk to ensure better outcomes for our patients.”