CIGNA Corporation : Cigna's Growth Hormone Initiative Wins CQIA Innovation Award
06/15/2012| 10:30am US/Eastern
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Cigna's Growth Hormone Initiative saves clients and customers $13.1
million in total medical costs
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Program wins CQIA Innovation Award for quality improvement and
business success
Cigna received a 2012 (silver) Connecticut Quality Improvement Award
(CQIA) Innovation Prize during the 25th Anniversary Conference on
Tuesday, June 5 at Saint Clements Castle in Portland, Connecticut.
John Poniatowski receives the CQIA prize on behalf of Cigna for the Growth Hormone Initiative. (Photo: Cigna)
"As a global health service company, Cigna is focused on making
medications affordable, improving total health outcomes, and providing
superior service to our customers," said John Poniatowski, Clinical
Program Director for Cigna Pharmacy Management. "Through our growth
hormone initiative we were able to help clients and customers receive
quality care and save money. We are proud to be recognized for this
achievement."
Driven by frequent cost increases, growth hormone drugs have an
estimated annual growth rate of 22%. Growth hormone can cost thousands
of dollars per prescription.
Children and adolescents born with growth hormone deficiency do not
produce normal levels of growth hormone, resulting in growth failure and
short stature. Growth hormone replacement therapy can help these
individuals' growth and development.
Cigna identified approaches that maintained beneficial clinical outcomes
and service experience for customers, clients, and doctors while
reducing their costs. Growth hormone (generically known as somatropin)
is a "specialty drug" - complex and expensive. A committee comprised of
doctors and pharmacists, both internal and external to Cigna, reviewed
data and clinical guidelines and determined that the seven brands of
growth hormone are clinically equal. By identifying two of the seven
growth hormones as "preferred" on Cigna's drug list, Cigna has been able
to lower costs for clients and customers, saving $13.1 million in total
medical costs.
For the past 25 years, the CQIA has been the State's annual quality
award, recognizing Connecticut companies that excel in managing quality
improvement for business success and growth.
The CQIA is America's first state level award using the Malcolm Baldrige
National Quality and Innovation Award for Performance Excellence named
for a former Connecticut CEO who led the U.S. Commerce Department during
President Ronald Reagan's administration.
About Cigna
Cigna Corporation (NYSE: CI) is a global health service company
dedicated to helping people improve their health, well-being and sense
of security. All products and services are provided exclusively through
operating subsidiaries of Cigna Corporation, including Connecticut
General Life Insurance Company, Cigna Health and Life Insurance Company,
Life Insurance Company of North America and Cigna Life Insurance Company
of New York. Such products and services include an integrated suite of
health services, such as medical, dental, behavioral health, pharmacy
and vision care benefits, and other related products including group
life, accident and disability insurance. Cigna maintains sales
capability in 30 countries and jurisdictions, and has approximately 70
million customer relationships throughout the world. To learn more about
Cigna®, including links to follow us on Facebook or Twitter, visit www.cigna.com.
Photos/Multimedia Gallery Available: http://www.businesswire.com/cgi-bin/mmg.cgi?eid=50312444&lang=en
Cigna Corporation
Janet Brown, 860-226-4811
janet.brown@cigna.com
© Business Wire 2012
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