Tower Health, Cigna come to agreement
The health network will resume accepting the insurer’s plans beginning May 1
Tower Health has reached an agreement with Cigna that will allow the insurance company’s members to resume their in-network access to the hospital system’s services, officials said.
The health network — which includes Reading Hospital — will resume accepting Cigna plans May 1 at all of its hospitals and doctor’s offices and for its ambulatory services, Tower officials said.
The agreement is for three years.
It was not immediately clear how many patients will be impacted by the decision.
Tower Health has also reached an agreement to participate with Cigna’s Medicare Advantage plan in Chester and Montgomery counties through December 2025.
Other Tower Health locations include Pottstown Hospital, Phoenixville Hospital and St. Christopher’s Hospital for Children in Philadelphia.
Tower Health had stopped accepting Cigna insurance plans for all of its locations and medical practices as of Jan. 1 after the two entities could not agree on a contract renewal.
At the time Tower Health officials said the health network was asking the insurance provider to increase its payment rates due to rising costs as part of negotiations to renew a provider agreement set to end Dec. 31.
Officials from Cigna said then that Tower Health’s request for higher payment rates would have meant higher costs for patients.
In announcing the agreement with Cigna, Tower CEO Sue Perrotty said the health system’s top priority throughout the discussions was to ensure its patients have access to the clinical services, sites and medical professionals they prefer.
“This agreement accomplishes
that goal,” she said. “It also helps Tower Health establish effective partnerships with payers that support patient needs, now and well into the future.”
Cigna officials were not immediately available for comment, and details of the agreement were not available..
Cigna members who
want to use Tower Health services between now and May 1 will have to do so out of network.
Traditional Medicare enrollees with a Medicare Supplemental (Medigap) plan have no network restrictions and can continues to receive care from any Tower Health provider at their plan’s maximum benefit
level.
Tower Health is in the process of notifying Cigna patients about the new, multi-year agreements via electronic notifications and mailed letters, officials said.
System officials encouraged Cigna patients with questions to contact Tower Health at 1-833-348-6937.