Cigna will drop a policy that required physicians to fill out extra paperwork before they could treat patients for opioid addiction.
The move comes after New York’s attorney general raised questions about whether Cigna’s requirement created unnecessary treatment delays. The Bloomfield, Conn.-based insurer says the change will make it easier for customers to get medications they need and is part of the company’s broader effort to reduce opioid abuse by its customers. Medication-assisted opioid addiction treatment involves the use of drugs, combined with therapy, to help addicts recover while minimizing withdrawal symptoms and craving.