"The Big Picture" Newsletter

February 2007 Issue

CIGNA Behavioral Health is the first behavioral health care company to help members meet their providers online

Members of CIGNA Behavioral Health (CBH) now have an opportunity to get acquainted with a therapist online before they make an appointment. By accessing the provider search tool at www.cignabehavioral.com, individuals can view provider profiles and pictures as part of their search efforts. This new feature helps members gain a better comfort level with a therapist and reduces the chance that members will need to try several providers to find the one they are best suited to work with.

“The real focus is on the consumer,” said Larry Gleit, CBH Provider Contracting Manager. “From our perspective, therapy is one of the most intimate settings a person can experience. We feel our role is to make the consumer feel as comfortable as possible. We’re seeing that this is making a huge difference because we are seeing the number of first time sessions go down.”

As part of this effort, providers volunteer the information that is posted. So far, close to 8,000 providers, or almost 25% of the network, have posted information. The provider directory is updated daily with information such as provider office locations, phone numbers, appointment availability and areas of specialization. In December 2006, search hits on the provider profile pages reached over 100,000.

CBH also offers members the option to search for a provider through an Interactive Voice Response (IVR) system. The participant can simply state their zip code and receive a list of local providers over the phone. Personal advocates are also available 24/7 and can assist in sending provider information through the mail.