Businessweek

Cigna Corporation operates as a health service company in the United States. The company’s subsidiaries are providers of medical, dental, disability, life and accident insurance and related products and services. The company offers Medicare and Medicaid products and health, life and accident insurance coverages primarily to individuals in the U.S. and selected international markets. It also has certain run-off operations. Segments GLOBAL HEALTH CARE This segment includes all of the international health care business. This business consists principally of global health benefits, products and services designed to meet the needs of local and multinational companies and organizations and their domestic and globally mobile employees and dependents. Global Health Care aggregates the following two operating segments: The Commercial operating segment includes both the U.S. commercial and international health care businesses and offers insured and self-insured medical, dental, behavioral health, vision, and prescription drug benefit plans, health advocacy programs and other products and services that may be integrated to provide global health care benefit programs to employers and their employees, including globally mobile individuals. Cigna, either directly or through its partners, offers some or all of these products and services in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Canada, Europe, the Middle East, and Asia. Cigna services its globally mobile customers worldwide. These products and services are offered through various funding arrangements, such as administrative services only, guaranteed cost and retrospectively experience rated. The Government operating segment offers Medicare Advantage plans to seniors in 13 states and the District of Columbia, Medicare Part D plans in all 50 states and the District of Columbia and Medicaid plans. With the exception of health maintenance organization, Medicare, Medicaid and stop loss products, each of Global Health Care's group health benefit products are offered with alternative funding options. Principal Products and Services Health Plans Commercial Medical – U.S. and International Managed Care Plans: Global Health Care offers a product line of managed care benefit plans that use meaningful coinsurance and copayment differences to encourage the use of ‘in-network’ versus ‘out-of-network’ health care providers and the use of primary care physicians. Preferred Provider Plans: Global Health Care also offers an open access product line that features a network with even broader access than the Managed Care Plans with no option to designate a primary care physician, in-network and out-of-network coverage, and may be at a somewhat higher medical cost. Choice Fund suite of Consumer-Driven Products: Global Health Care offers the Cigna Choice Fund suite of consumer-driven products, including health reimbursement accounts, health savings accounts and flexible spending accounts. These plans can be used to pay medical care expenses not covered by a base medical plan and are designed to encourage customers to understand and manage their health and health benefits. Stop Loss Coverage: Global Health Care offers stop loss insurance coverage for self-insured plans. This stop loss coverage reimburses the plan for claims in excess of a predetermined amount, for individuals (specific), the entire group (aggregate), or both. Global Health Care also includes stop loss features in its experience-rated policies. Government Medicare Advantage: The company offers Medicare Advantage coordinated care plans in 13 states and the District of Columbia. Under a Medicare Advantage plan, Medicare-eligible beneficiaries may receive health care benefits, including prescription drugs, through a managed care health plan, such as the company's coordinated care plans, and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services reimburse the company pursuant to a risk adjustment payment methodology. The HealthSpring acquisition expanded the size of Cigna's Medicare Advantage customer base. The company also offers Medicaid coverage to low income individuals in s