HealthPartners and CIGNA HealthCare today announced a long-term alliance that will offer companies with employees in Minnesota and other states a national health plan using the HealthPartners and CIGNA provider networks.

The alliance features a simpler, single-administrator model that puts one plan in charge of a company’s entire health plan coast-to-coast. The unique approach avoids duplication of efforts and fees and ensures a consistent experience for employees, no matter where they live and work.

Highlights:

• The new national network, one of America’s largest, includes a half-million providers and 4,800 hospitals.
• Administrative efficiencies and simplicity are designed to deliver significant cost savings.
• Employees enjoy the same benefits, get help from the same customer service teams and are cared for through the same medical and disease management programs.

The alliance, which is effective January 1, 2007, has no immediate impact on our service to you and enables us to offer you stronger capabilities long term if you do business in others states.

Learn more at healthpartners.com

Jump Start, HealthPartners' innovative physical activity program, motivates your employees to get moving and save money. They take an online heath assessment, learn their baseline health score and get enrolled in the 10,000 Steps® Exercise Program. All for free.

Not only does it improve employee health, it takes a significant bite out of future claims costs: 

• The potential reduction in annual medical claims for those identified as high-risk: about $3,000 to $5,000 per year. That’s a total reduction of more than $5 million in future claims.
• One in four who took the free online health survey discovered that they are at high risk for health complications. Fortunately, more than half of them chose to get direct follow-up from a HealthPartners health coach.
• Nearly 7,000 members from more than 1,000 companies have gotten their free Jump Start in the first two months.

And best of all, Jump Start is still going. Many employers have told us they’re going the extra mile to ensure participation. Barb Zilmer at the Bailey Nursery in Newport put together a promotional campaign for employees that helped them get huge participation and form a new Wellness Committee.

Help your employees get their free Jump Start. Here's an article about Jump Start for your company newsletter, email messages or other communications. It’s a great way to tell your employees how Jump Start can get them on track to better health, and it tells them how easy it is to sign up! And don’t forget about the posters, flyers and paycheck stuffers that you can also download at healthpartners.com to spread the word about Jump Start in your office.