• New features blend innovation, responsible AI, and human interactions to better support customers in their health care journeys
  
  
• As new data show 4 out of 5 U.S. adults don't feel confident in their knowledge of health insurance benefits, new digital tools use clear, conversational language to boost understanding and help customers get more out of their coverage

Cigna Healthcare, the health benefits division of The Cigna Group (NYSE: CI), is introducing a series of new digital features to improve the customer experience during common health insurance interactions, such as checking benefits coverage, estimating costs and finding care. These enhancements are designed to provide a reliably simple experience for everyday needs and are an important step in delivering on the company's commitment to make health care easier for customers.

"We're committed to making our customers' experiences simpler, seamless and more reliable," said Heather Dlugolenski, chief strategy officer, Cigna Healthcare. "That's why we're creating smarter, more connected digital experiences that anticipate our customers' needs while bringing clarity and compassion to everyday moments."

The new digital features, which were developed with rigorous research and testing within a comprehensive artificial intelligence (AI) governance framework, are being made available in a phased rollout through Cigna Healthcare's myCigna member portal. They include:

• AI-Powered Virtual Assistant: More than a chatbot, this industry-first generative AI tool provides clear, conversational and personalized answers to common questions about benefits coverage, claims and care options. If additional assistance is needed, the virtual assistant seamlessly connects customers to a customer service advocate. Early results show that 2 out of 3 customers who had access to the virtual assistant used it proactively, and more than 4 out of 5 found it helpful.
• Personalized Provider Matching: This proprietary matching tool gives customers a tailored list of in-network providers and care delivery methods based on their specific health care needs and preferences. The tool will be integrated soon with the AI Virtual Assistant to help customers quickly find relevant care.
• Real-Time Cost Tracking: This redesigned tool provides a simple breakdown of deductibles, out-of-pocket expenses, and integrated bill payments, helping customers track their costs in real time and estimate costs with providers and specialists before engaging.
• Smart Claim Submission: This user-friendly feature enables customers to upload bills they receive from physicians and other providers, such as chiropractors or therapists. The tool reads the bill, auto-fills claim details for easy submission, and provides digital updates using plain language on claim statuses and decisions.
• Plan Selection Support: Customers who get their health insurance through their employer can compare prices, search for providers, and estimate their potential health care costs when selecting their benefits plan. This helps customers make more informed plan decisions during the open enrollment period.
• Early Access to myCigna for New Customers: Customers new to Cigna Healthcare and those with changes to their benefits plans can sign into the myCigna member portal before their plan effective date so they can better plan their health care needs in advance and add their digital ID card to their Apple or Google wallets or provider portals for less paperwork.

"Everyday moments in health care need to be easier," said Katya Andresen, chief digital and analytics officer at The Cigna Group. "Customers need to be met where they are with experiences that are adapted to their unique needs. While there is still a lot of work to do to simplify health care, these enhancements are a significant step in our journey to transform the experience and put customers at the heart of it."

Recent research by Cigna Healthcare reveals that only 1 in 5 U.S. adults feel confident in their ability to understand, evaluate and effectively use health care services. The report found that the more a person understands their health insurance, the more effectively they can navigate the health care ecosystem, leading to better health outcomes, fewer financial surprises and higher overall vitality. By offering intuitive, personalized digital tools that use clear, conversational language, Cigna Healthcare aims to help consumers get more value out of their health insurance benefits and navigate the healthcare ecosystem more effectively.

For customers with complex health needs, such as managing a chronic condition or navigating a serious diagnosis, Cigna Healthcare is expanding access to dedicated My Personal Champion advocates. The company is also investing in new centralized agent teams to help customers more quickly resolve administrative needs, including prior authorizations and post-care claims.

The Cigna Group's broader technology strategy has long aimed to transform and improve health care delivery to create a more personalized, seamless and connected health care experience that empowers customers to improve their overall health and vitality. The strategy's flexibility allows the company to adapt and lean into the changing needs and expectations of the millions of people it serves, such as delivering on the commitments it made earlier this year to meaningfully improve the customer experience.