June 25, 2009

CIGNA chosen as medical plan administrator beginning January 2010

CIGNA will be the administrator for all Purdue employee health plans beginning Jan. 1, 2010. CIGNA will replace current administrators UnitedHealthcare (formerly Arnett Health Plans) and UMR (formerly Fiserv Health).

"Given the large amount of money that Purdue and its employees spend each year on medical care, it's important to know that we are getting the best combination of services and fees from our plan administrators," says John Beelke, director of Human Resource Services. "So we opened a bidding and evaluation process earlier this year."

Staff Benefits recommended CIGNA as Purdue's sole health plan administrator following a comprehensive analysis of those bidding for the contract. Participants from the faculty and staff Health Plan Advisory Committee, the regional campuses, and WorkLife Programs helped Staff Benefits evaluate the finalists. The Purdue Board of Trustees approved CIGNA as the plan administrator during a May meeting.

"CIGNA's network provides us with excellent cost arrangements with hospitals, doctors, and other providers," Beelke says. As a result of the switch to CIGNA, faculty and staff will see new health plan names and minor changes in plan designs for 2010.

CIGNA also will administer Purdue's flexible spending account program for both health care and dependent day care. Additionally, the company is the current administrator for Purdue's disability programs.

Next steps

To introduce employees to CIGNA, Staff Benefits will offer a substantial number of information sessions during the summer and fall months. CIGNA representatives will participate in these sessions and will be available to answer questions. Watch Purdue Today, Inside Purdue and the Staff Benefits Web site at www.purdue.edu/benefits  for session times and locations.

During the current planning stage, Staff Benefits Customer Service does not have answers to specific questions about the 2010 medical plans and the new partnership with CIGNA. However, faculty and staff who want to begin preparing for the upcoming change can now search the CIGNA Web site to see if their health care providers participate in the CIGNA network.

For instructions on how to do a provider search, visit the Staff Benefits Web site.

"If employees find that one of their health care providers is not participating in the CIGNA network, it's entirely appropriate for them to encourage their provider to join," Beelke says.

Eventually, CIGNA will supply a phone number that faculty and staff may call to request that CIGNA contact their providers about joining the network. Until the number is available, employees may call Staff Benefits at 49-42222, and Staff Benefits will pass the names along to CIGNA.

Faculty and staff also can prepare now for next year by participating in Healthy Purdue to earn a medical plan premium reduction in 2010. See the related story below for more details.