Cigna has launched a new company it says will be more flexible in dealing with healthcare providers to help them ease their administrative burden across payers and can even help providers launch and manage their own health plans.
CareAllies Inc. will combine assets from Cigna, Cigna-HealthSpring’s management services division for independent physician associations (IPAs), and QualCare Alliance Networks Inc. (QANI), which Bloomfield based Cigna acquired in 2015. Dr. Julian Harris has been named president of CareAllies, Inc., which will operate as a wholly-owned subsidiary of Cigna.
CareAllies will focus on advisory and management services, technology, and analytics. Cigna said the goal is to help physician practices and delivery systems as they move from volume to value.
Cigna has been a leader in the accountable care organization and volume-to-value movements since 2008 and now has 150 Cigna Collaborative Care arrangements with large physician practices. Earlier this year, Cigna started a joint venture arrangement with St. Joseph Hoag Health to offer HMO and exclusive provider organization plans in Orange County, Calif. Through another joint venture agreement, Cigna is collaborating with Seton Health Plan to introduce a group health plan in Austin and Waco, Texas.