Bloomfield health insurer Cigna Corp.’s use of a computer algorithm has allowed it to predict with near certainty how survey respondents’ future health will progress based on answers to certain health and lifestyle queries.
So enamored is Cigna with the statistical modeling tool that it announced Tuesday an agreement with its owner-developer, the University of Michigan, to have exclusive access to it for another three years.
Financial terms weren’t disclosed.
Cigna says its own research shows two-thirds of high-risk individuals and a third of all individuals reduced their health risks after completing the company’s health assessment and using its health coaching programs.
The predictive analysis also enables individuals to focus on improving their health and enables employers to tailor workplace health and wellness programs to meet the specific needs of their employees, the insurer says.
By reducing their health risks, individuals are less likely to face future health problems and higher health care costs, Cigna says.
Cigna uses the university’s proprietary Trend Management System and risk clustering algorithms to analyze responses to glean respondents’ future health tracks.
The tool determines with 83 percent accuracy how likely that individual is to face health problems that could lead to high health care costs in the next two to three years, Cigna said.
Cigna also has future rights to renew the pact.
