To cut healthcare costs, health insurer Cigna is extending its telehealth services in 2017 to most of its employer-sponsored group plans and on- and off-exchange plans.
The Bloomfield, Conn.-based insurer will add Boston-based American Well's telehealth app — AMWELL — to its virtual care MDLIVE offerings. The app will connect physicians with millions of Cigna policyholders to treat allergies, cold and flu and sinusitis, among other minor medical conditions.
Cigna will also offer video consultations to connect policyholders with mental health and substance abuse benefits with behavioral health professionals. Individual therapy or medication management through video-based services will be offered at no additional cost to policyholders with the benefits.
Robert Wijnhoven, Cigna telehealth lead, said Cigna understands "the difficulty some Americans have accessing a behavioral health professional, especially in rural areas. Enabling access to our behavioral healthcare professional networks via telehealth provides an innovative solution to this accessibility challenge."
Policyholders in Arkansas and Texas will not be able to access the telehealth services as American Well's platform is unavailable in the areas.
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