Dear Star Valley Health Patient:
Cigna has rejected our latest offer to negotiate a fair, reasonable agreement to avoid termination effective July 1, 2025. We are disappointed to let you know that effective July 1 we will no longer be in Cigna’s network.
I have questions. How can I get answers?
To answer questions and help you navigate this change, we have established a contact person you can call to ask questions and find solutions. Call our Cigna special liaison at 307-885-5995, option 5. We are committed to work through solutions with you during this difficult period.
You can still make appointments with our providers.
Why the termination?
We don’t want to terminate our arrangement with Cigna. However, the cost to provide healthcare services in Western Wyoming has significantly increased for several years. During the past year, we quickly renegotiated multi-year agreements with Blue Cross, United Healthcare, and Aetna.
Despite several attempts and competitive offers from us, we have been unable to negotiate a fair, comparable agreement with Cigna. Currently, the reimbursement that Cigna is paying us is:
- Well-below payment we receive from Blue Cross, Aetna, and United.
- Financially unsustainable.
What if I have Cigna Supplemental Insurance?
Although our hospital is not contracted with Cigna insurance, Cigna supplemental (or Medigap) plans will still process as a secondary payer to traditional Medicare. Patients with traditional Medicare as their primary insurance can still receive care at our facility, and Cigna supplemental plans may help cover additional costs in accordance with their policy terms.
Medigap plans (also known as Medicare Supplement Insurance) do not need to be contracted with a hospital to pay as secondary to Medicare.
Here’s why:
- Medigap policies are designed specifically to work only with Original Medicare (Parts A & B).
- When a provider accepts Medicare (i.e., is Medicare-participating), they do not need to have a separate contract with the Medigap insurer.
- Once Medicare pays its share, the claim is automatically sent to the Medigap insurer, which then pays according to the plan’s benefits (e.g., copays, coinsurance, deductibles).
- The patient can receive care at any facility that accepts Medicare, regardless of whether that facility has a contract with the Medigap plan.
Important clarification: This applies only to Medigap plans, not to Medicare Advantage (Part C) plans. Medicare Advantage plans often do require the provider or facility to be in-network or contracted.
If Cigna considers me to be out of network and I have out-of-network benefits, what else do I need to know?
- First, understand your out-of-network benefits. That information may be on your card. We are contracted with MultiPlan, and you may be able to access the MultiPlan network.
- Emergency care is always treated as in-network.
- Cigna told us that reimbursement for some members who access our services will be made directly to you, and then you will pay us the agreed charges.
- For doctor visits and some hospital services, you may be asked to pay us at time of service or before receiving care.
If long-distance travel is not reasonable for you to access an in-network provider or you have a long-term relationship with some of our doctors and don’t want to interrupt that, discuss your situation with our Star Valley-Cigna liaison at 307-885-5995, option 5.
We will do our best to work together to sort all of this out. All conversations regarding personal health information are always confidential.
How can I help if I would like Cigna to remain contracted with Star Valley Health?
- Please reach out to your employer and Cigna to express your concerns and better understand how this change impacts you.
- You may also want to contact Cigna’s CEO David Cordani, at [email protected].
We are hopeful that Cigna will reconsider its current financially unsustainable reimbursement offer with our organization and quickly negotiate with us a new agreement that is reasonable, competitive, and will allow you to remain in-network with our hospital and providers.
Please keep this contact and don’t hesitate to call. We will help!
Star Valley Health-Cigna Liaison: 307-885-5995, option 5.