Cigna Is Back After 18 Month Sanction

[vertex]

Cigna's sanctions have been lifted starting 7/1.

https://www.yahoo.com/finance/news/cigna-gets-government-ok-sell-183302016.html







----------------
Search and Receive Medicare Supplement Comparison. Evaluate Medicare Insurance Plans

 

[somarco]

 

[policy doctor]

Well I'm happy to hear that.

First they had a good plan. They got a lot of enrollments here in Atl area. They had lower tier ratings for some T-3 drugs. Couldn't compete with that.

Clients seemed happy...only had 1 disenrollment this year and no complaints from other clients.

Hopeful the plan will continue for 2018....and many remain on it so I don't have to re-enroll into something else.

They had a good Dual plan

 

[vic120]

I might look to get certified with them I don't know why they were sanctioned

However everyone I spoke with that has Cigna healthsprings I haven't been able to offer anything better, most are very happy with healthsprings

 

[LostDollar]

I might look to get certified with them I don't know why they were sanctioned

However everyone I spoke with that has Cigna healthsprings I haven't been able to offer anything better, most are very happy with healthsprings

A chain of comments in another thread has led me to wonder if their return to the market will have an effect on Silverscript in 2018.

2016-to-2017 Silverscript (in my zip) went from $20+ to $27+ and made some strong changes in their formulary. When I checked prices today on a drug I use, Cigna did beat SilverScript for the drug in question for the rest of the year. So I'm just wondering if Cigna's presence may cause Silverscript to control a 2018 price increase and maybe redo their formulary again in a more liberal manner.

 

[sman]

A chain of comments in another thread has led me to wonder if their return to the market will have an effect on Silverscript in 2018.

2016-to-2017 Silverscript (in my zip) went from $20+ to $27+ and made some strong changes in their formulary. When I checked prices today on a drug I use, Cigna did beat SilverScript for the drug in question for the rest of the year. So I'm just wondering if Cigna's presence may cause Silverscript to control a 2018 price increase and maybe redo their formulary again in a more liberal manner.

Not if it means losing money. Keep in mind, most states have 20+ PDP plans available. Some in the 30+ range. And just because SS had a $7+ increase last year in your area doesn't mean that happens in all areas. In Georgia they went from $19.80 to $22.80. They have their niche and I'm guessing all they are focusing on is how to remain profitable. I doubt very seriously they are looking at Cigna coming back into the marketplace and getting worried they may lose market share to them.

 

[WCMason]

Not if it means losing money. Keep in mind, most states have 20+ PDP plans available. Some in the 30+ range. And just because SS had a $7+ increase last year in your area doesn't mean that happens in all areas. In Georgia they went from $19.80 to $22.80. They have their niche and I'm guessing all they are focusing on is how to remain profitable. I doubt very seriously they are looking at Cigna coming back into the marketplace and getting worried they may lose market share to them.

Lowest cost plan without a deductible is a pretty nice niche.

 

[LostDollar]

Lowest cost plan without a deductible is a pretty nice niche.

The two meanings I can see in that statement are kinda the driver behind the statement/question I posted.

The best I can remember, in 2016 and 2017, in my market, SilverScript did have the lowest cost--in the sense of premium--for a PDP without a deductible.

The plan did not have the lowest cost-in the sense of cost of medication AS PRESCRIBED-in my market. After a lot of thought about my situation, and a discussion with a pharmacist, I decided I could make a change in one medication without discussion with my doctor. That caused SilverScript to have the lowest drug cost for me, as well as the lowest premium.

Yesterday I was, very heatedly, accused of not having the slightest clue about what I was doing in selecting a PDP because I purchased a plan in which my blood pressure med, Bystolic, was not a T3 drug. That led me to do some fresh review of currently available PDP's for my market.

What I found was that SilverScript is the lowest premium cost plan with no deductible. However, when medications were considered, even with a $50 deductible, Cigna became the lowest cost plan.

Edit-----
(That was as of July 2017, NOT Nov 2016 when it was necessary to make 2017 PDP buying choices.
----------------------

I don't have the data to evaluate this, but I think it likely that if SilverScript had not done the level of premium increase they did, OR if they had not moved Bystolic from t3 to t4, they would have remained lowest cost in the sense of medication as well as premium.

I am going to be quite interested to see the comments that will start being made in a couple of months, as well as the actual price changes in the fall.

 

[sman]

Lowest cost plan without a deductible is a pretty nice niche.

But as you know, it's the medication that is the biggest factor in determining the lowest cost plan. If I come across some taking no medication or maybe one or two generic medications, I usually recommend two options and let them pick. I tell them they can go with the lowest premium plan (in my market that's the EnvisionRx plan at $14.60 with a $260 deductible) or the lowest premium plan without a deductible which is SilverScript.

I just had this conversation with a referral who had already done some "research". Based on his personal Medicare and You booklet he wanted to go with SilverScript. I asked him if he had confirmed that his medications were on their formulary or done a comparison. He had not. After running the comparison, SilverScript was nowhere near the least expensive plan.

Unfortunately this isn't a rare occurrence where someone decides which plan they want without comparing the costs. I really enjoy preventing someone from making a costly mistake like this.

 

[GreenSky]

Unfortunately this isn't a rare occurrence where someone decides which plan they want without comparing the costs. I really enjoy preventing someone from making a costly mistake like this.

Wouldn't it be easier to just have a consumer post 900 times on this website and avoid a 20 minute call to an agent?

Rick