Cigna’s strategic acquisition of Alegis Care marks a significant step in expanding access to quality healthcare services for individuals with chronic conditions. Announced recently, this acquisition integrates Alegis Care’s expertise in home-based chronic care management with Cigna’s extensive health service network. This move is poised to enhance the healthcare experience, particularly for seniors and those managing long-term illnesses who benefit most from receiving care in the comfort of their own homes.
Alegis Care, recognized for its dedicated approach to providing multi-specialty medical health services, has built a strong reputation for serving Medicare and Medicaid patients. Their focus on creating a “medical home” experience for homebound individuals aligns seamlessly with the growing need for accessible and convenient healthcare solutions. Specializing in chronic care for the elderly and severely ill, Alegis Care offers a comprehensive suite of services including physician visits, thorough care coordination, and personalized patient care within the home setting.
Herb Fritch, President of Cigna-HealthSpring, emphasized the strategic rationale behind this acquisition. “Improving the medical home experience by providing access to affordable and convenient health care is a growing essential service for our homebound senior customers,” he stated. Highlighting the pre-existing successful relationship between Cigna and Alegis Care since 2009, Fritch expressed confidence that this acquisition is “highly complementary to our business strategy.” The combined entity aims to streamline access to coordinated healthcare services for seniors, ensuring they receive appropriate care in the most suitable environment, often in collaboration with their existing physicians.
Edmund Bujalski, CEO of Alegis Care, echoed this sentiment, noting the alignment of Cigna’s commitment to home-based primary care with Alegis Care’s mission. “Cigna’s commitment to bringing quality primary care services directly to its homebound senior customers afflicted with multiple chronic conditions aligns perfectly with the mission and commitment of Alegis Care and its managed practices,” Bujalski explained. He further conveyed the team’s enthusiasm in joining the Cigna-HealthSpring family, anticipating enhanced service capabilities and access to greater resources, ultimately benefiting their diverse customer base.
While the specific financial details of the acquisition remain undisclosed, the strategic implications are clear. Cigna intends to leverage Alegis Care’s established capabilities to improve service quality and manage healthcare costs more effectively for its expanding Medicare Advantage customer base. Alegis Care, while now operating as a Cigna company, will maintain its focus on chronic care management and continue serving its existing clients, including healthcare systems and payers. In 2013 alone, Alegis Care was projected to deliver services to approximately 31,000 seniors across ten states, including Cigna-HealthSpring customers in Delaware, Illinois, Maryland, Pennsylvania, and Washington, D.C.
This acquisition signals Cigna’s proactive approach to addressing the evolving needs of the healthcare landscape, particularly in the realm of chronic disease management. By integrating Alegis Care’s specialized home-based care model, Cigna is poised to offer more patient-centric, efficient, and effective healthcare solutions for individuals requiring ongoing chronic care support.
