Subject Matter Minute, Episode #25 – Cigna Wellness Initiatives

The below post is taken from the Video Blog, the Subject Matter Minute. If it’s a little hard to read, it’s because it’s taken from the spoken word. You can view the episode on YouTube if you would like. Find it here: Episode #25 – Cigna Wellness Initiatives

If YouTube is blocked for you or your agency, you can scroll to the bottom of this post to view it from Google Drive. (I would prefer you view in YouTube, so I know how many people have watched)

You can also listen to an audio version.

Hello, and welcome to another episode of the Subject Matter Minute. I’m Matt Nagy, thanks for joining me! Before we get started with today’s topic that includes how you can possibly make some cashola, I want to thank last month’s subject matter expert, Casey Baxter of Surplus Property. Thanks for your help, Casey.

It’s a coincidence, but this episode happens to be on preventative care the day after I had a bit of preventative care done on myself. I had a mole removed yesterday. Good times…Ya know… everyone blames the sun for this sort of thing…. Personally, I blame the moles. It’s not the sun’s fault that I’m covered in moles. So anyways, it seemed like a good preventative measure to get this removed, and we will find out next week, if everything is cool. I’m not worried and the doctor didn’t seem too worried. So…. speaking of health care, and preventative health care….

We all hear it every day… our healthcare system is in shambles… it’s broken… right? Well, while the government fails to figure this out, some people, organizations, and even insurance companies, are trying to figure out ways to, at least, slow the rise in costs.

There is one proven way to lower costs, and it just happens to have the side effect of helping people as well. And in this case, you might even win some money. Today I’m going to talk about Cigna and their Wellness Initiatives.

So… if you’ve been watching the show for a while, you know that I did one on the free blood chem screening through Wyoming Health Fairs. If you need to check it out, that was episode #15, and I’ve linked to it in the show notes. The chem screening is a great deal and something everyone should be doing. Well there’s more that you can do for your health that is free.

Did you know that you can go to the doctor once a year for a free well visit? You can also get free coaching from Cigna professionals on all sorts of health related topics, such as losing weight, quitting tobacco, managing stress and even dealing with chronic diseases. I’m going to go deeper into that in another episode. Today I want to talk about their current wellness initiative. Having said that, keep in mind that they do have ongoing wellness initiatives. I’m going to talk about the current one, but if you are watching this video far in the future, keep your eyes open for the emails that go out about every other month.

I chatted with my friend Alice Burron of Cigna, and she gave me the lowdown on the current wellness initiative. There are 3 steps (and possibly several rewards!)

  1. Get your free blood chem screening through Wyoming Health Fairs
  2. Take the Cigna Health Assessment online
  3. Go to your in-network Dr. and get a free well visit.

You should probably do these things just because, but Alice has been given the power to incentivize it.

If you go to an in-network Dr. to get your free 100% covered annual wellness visit by Nov. 30, you will get entered into a drawing for one of 100 $200 gift cards. And if you take the health assessment before July 31, you are eligible to win one of 100 $50 gift cards. And, they just wrapped up a Walkingspree challenge and 50 of those who participated and earned badges won $50. There will be one more of those challenges this year. There is no doubt that this is real. I won $50 last year. 🙂  Now that I think about it… telling you guys about this has probably reduced my chances of winning. Dang… oh well… it’s good for everyone, right? I mean exercise is good and so is cash. 🙂

A couple items I need to mention about the wellness Doctor visit. When you make the appointment you need to specify that it is for the 100% well visit / annual checkup. Also, if you had your well visit anytime in 2019 before Nov. 30, you are eligible for the drawing. That means starting 1/1 of this year, any well visit from that point on is counted. Some of you already had your visit without knowing about this incentive, but don’t worry, you will be automatically included. And speaking of that, there is no paperwork related to the incentive. It’s all captured electronically, so you don’t have to turn in a claim form for the Dr. visit, or anything for the health assessment, either.

This is easy stuff that you can do for free, that can possibly win you some money; that is the right thing to do for your health, and could even slow down the rise in health insurance costs.

So, get involved in the cigna wellness initiative. And when you do, be on the lookout for an email saying you are a winner from Cigna, Walkingspree, or Tango gift cards!

If you have any questions, you can call the Cigna Customer Service number at 800.685.1060. Or email Alice at Alice.Burron@cigna.com. You can also find that number and email address down below in the show notes. There is also some brochures and information in the show notes, so be sure to take a look.

Alright, that’s it for this month. I’ll see you next time on the Subject Matter Minute.