CIGNA HealthCare Offers Members Convenient Care
06.19.07
Retail Clinic Provider Take Care Health Systems Added to CIGNA HealthCare's Network, On June 15, 2007
BLOOMFIELD, Conn., June 19 — Just in time for summer allergies and bouts with poison ivy, CIGNA HealthCare has announced that its members have access to the national network of 53 Take Care Health Clinics located in Chicago, Kansas City, Milwaukee, and Pittsburgh, effective immediately. Take Care Health Systems, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Walgreen Co., operates clinics staffed by certified nurse practitioners who treat patients 18 months and older for common conditions and vaccinations.
"Our members are always on the go, leading very busy lives. They want quality, affordable health care on their terms." said Ozzie Khan, MD, medical officer for CIGNA HealthCare. "Take Care Health provides convenient, quality care for patients with minor illnesses and integration with the local medical community."
CIGNA HealthCare members who need help with their allergies, a bad cold, or even immunizations, can walk into the local Take Care Health Clinic and walk out with one less item on their to-do list. Take Care Health Clinics are open seven days a week, with extended evening and weekend hours. No appointments are necessary, and Take Care Health's innovative technology allows patients to seamlessly register at the clinics through the use of a touch-screen computer. Ailments covered range from influenza or bronchitis, ear and sinus infections, to seasonal allergies, swimmers ear, skin conditions such as poison ivy, and immunizations.
Take Care Health claims are processed at the same benefit level as a primary care physician. For example, if a CIGNA HealthCare member's coinsurance is 20 percent, the out-of-pocket cost for a typical visit to a Take Care Health Clinic would be approximately $12. CIGNA HealthCare member co-payments are exactly the same as a visit to their primary care physician.
If a prescription is required, Take Care Health can electronically prescribe to the patient's pharmacy of choice. Each patient receives a visit record containing information from the visit to share with their primary care provider, or nurse practitioners will follow-up with the patient's provider if authorized by the patient, ensuring continuity of care. Take Care Nurse Practitioners encourage all patients to have a "health care home," a health care provider they see routinely for on-going medical needs and routine exams. If patients do not have such a provider, nurse practitioners refer them to a local physician accepting new patients.
"Take Care Health is committed to working with the greater health care community to provide quality health care to all individuals," said Peter Miller, President and CEO of Take Care Health. "We're thrilled to team with CIGNA HealthCare to reach even more patients across America as we open more than 400 clinics inside Walgreens stores by the end of 2008."
CIGNA HealthCare was among the first health insurance companies to include retail clinics into their network, announcing alliances with MinuteClinic, Inc. and RediClinic within the last two years. Like Take Care Health Systems, MinuteClinic and RediClinic also offer affordable, quality health care at the convenience of the member. The addition of Take Care Health Systems to the CIGNA HealthCare network of providers underscores CIGNA HealthCare's commitment to expanding the company's broad suite of consumer-focused products and services, which are designed to help members achieve their personal health goals.
About CIGNA HealthCareSM
CIGNA HealthCare, based in Bloomfield, CT, provides medical benefits plans, dental coverage, behavioral health coverage, pharmacy benefits and products and services that integrate and analyze information to support consumeriSM and health advocacy. "CIGNA HealthCare" refers to certain operations of Connecticut General Life Insurance Company, which is an operating subsidiary of CIGNA Corporation (NYSE: CI). Products and services are provided by such operating subsidiaries, and not by CIGNA Corporation. For more information, visit http://www.cigna.com.
About Take Care Health SystemsSM
Take Care Health Systems (www.takecarehealth.com)a leading operator of convenient care clinics, is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Walgreen Co. Take Care Health combines best practices in medicine and the expertise and personal care of Take Care nurse practitioners to provide high-quality, accessible and affordable health care to all individuals. Take Care Health operates 53 health care clinics in Chicago, Kansas City, Milwaukee, Pittsburgh and St. Louis. Take Care Health uses nationally recognized clinical guidelines, industry standards set forth by the Convenient Care Association (http://www.convenientcareassociation.org) and an electronic medical record system to ensure the highest quality care. The company maintains a robust quality assurance program, including collaborating physician record review, peer review and compliance auditing.
Key Contacts:
Ann Marie C. Raymond
CIGNA HealthCare
860.226.5063
annmariecraymond@sbcglobal.net
Lauren Tierney
for Take Care Health Systems
484-351-3212
Lauren.Tierney@takecarehealth.com