Hours before the existing contract was set to expire, Cigna Healthcare and Hartford HealthCare reached an agreement on a new contract.
A Hartford HealthCare spokesperson confirmed the deal in an email Thursday afternoon.
“Hartford HealthCare and Cigna have reached a multi-year agreement that guarantees Cigna members continued uninterrupted access to HHC's physicians, hospitals and services,” a spokesperson said. “This is good news for our patients and communities and allows us to continue our mission to improve health and healing for all.”
The spokesperson added that the agreement was reached before the existing contract expired at midnight on Thursday, “preventing disruption and allowing us to provide high-quality care at predictable, affordable rates.”
Details of the agreement, including the period, have not been disclosed.
Without the new agreement, all Hartford HealthCare hospitals and affiliated medical practices would have been out of network for Cigna policyholders.
Affected hospitals include Hartford Hospital. William Backus of Norwich. Midstate Medical Center in Meriden. Central Connecticut Hospitals in New Britain and Southington; Charlotte Hungerford of Torrington; St. Vincent's in Bridgeport. and Wyndham Hospital.
Broomfield-based Cigna also issued an emailed statement.
“The new agreement we have signed with Hartford HealthCare will provide quality, affordable care to the populations we jointly serve and expand our value-based care programs. “This will happen,” the email said. “We look forward to working with Hartford Healthcare to continue improving the health and vitality of our customers in this region.”