CIGNA HealthCare of Arizona and Catholic Healthcare West Reach Agreement

PHOENIX, May. 09 /PRNewswire/ --

PHOENIX, May 9 /PRNewswire/ -- CIGNA HealthCare of Arizona and Catholic Healthcare West (CHW) have announced that effective immediately, CIGNA plan members will have in-network access to the services and care provided by Catholic Healthcare West facilities and providers. The contract covers Catholic Healthcare West's three Arizona hospitals, including St. Joseph's Hospital and Medical Center, Chandler Regional Medical Center, Mercy Gilbert Medical Center, and affiliated facilities and physician practices in the Phoenix metropolitan area. Coverage is retroactive to midnight April 25th, the prior contract termination date.

"We are pleased that we have been able to come to mutually agreeable terms with Catholic Healthcare West," said Kurt A. Weimer, President and General Manager, CIGNA HealthCare of Arizona. "Our goal is to offer employers and members an expansive provider network which gives our members greater flexibility and control in choosing the health care provider that best meets their personal needs."

"We are very pleased that we were able to reach an acceptable agreement with CIGNA," said David G. Covert, president and CEO, Chandler Regional Medical Center/ CHW East Valley Service Area. "We have been working very hard to ensure CIGNA members could continue to receive quality, compassionate care at our facilities."

CIGNA HealthCare members in the Phoenix metropolitan area will have in-network access to Catholic Healthcare West's wide-ranging medical services and programs, including neurology, cardiology, pediatrics, women's services, orthopedics, oncology, rehabilitation and maternity care.

CIGNA members with questions about their coverage should contact CIGNA customer service. If a patient visit or procedure was cancelled this past week, patients are asked to please call their physician office to reschedule.

About CIGNA HealthCare of Arizona

With more than 35 years of history, CIGNA HealthCare of Arizona, Inc. is one of the oldest and largest health plans in the state. CIGNA HealthCare of Arizona provides health care coverage and employee benefit services to nearly 350,000 individuals throughout the state. CIGNA Medical Group, the medical group practice division of CIGNA HealthCare of Arizona, is one of the Valley's largest multi-specialty group practices with 21 offices located throughout metropolitan Phoenix. "CIGNA HealthCare" refers to various operating subsidiaries of CIGNA Corporation . Products and services are provided by these operating subsidiaries and not by CIGNA Corporation.

About Catholic Healthcare West

Catholic Healthcare West (CHW) is the eighth largest hospital system in the nation and the largest not-for-profit hospital provider in the West. Founded in 1986, the CHW network of more than 9,500 physicians and approximately 53,000 employees serve a population spanning 22 million people at 41 hospitals across California, Arizona, and Nevada. CHW is committed to delivering compassionate, high-quality, affordable healthcare services with special attention to the poor and underserved. In 2007, CHW provided $922 million in charity care, community benefits, and unreimbursed patient care.