Cigna Web tool tells cost of care upfront

Wall Street Journal, February 11, 2009

Health insurer Cigna Corp. is launching an online tool that will enable doctors and hospitals to inform Cigna enrollees in advance of treatment how much they're likely to pay in out-of-pocket costs. The tool, known as the Cigna Cost of Care Estimator, will be launched in April. It helps in-network healthcare providers to estimate how much of the cost Cigna will pay, and what the patient will owe. It factors in deductibles and co-payments specific to the patient's plan as well as funds that can be tapped, such as money in flexible spending accounts.