Breaking down barriers to better health depends on breaking down barriers to trust and understanding. This belief is being put into action to help guide our Community Health Worker Pilot.
The pilot is designed to help reduce health inequities by providing personalized support (in-person or virtually) by matching community health workers with customers who have been diagnosed with diabetes and live in higher-risk communities that are negatively impacted by social determinants of health (SDOH). Together, they co-create goals to meet those needs and overcome barriers affecting their health and ability to access care. The health workers connect these customers to benefits, services, and SDOH resources such as food and transportation to support better health outcomes.
To date, we’ve launched in-person segments of the pilot in Memphis, TN and Houston, TX. We also launched three virtual segments for our Medicare, Medicaid and Commercial lines of business, and have seen customers lose weight, decrease their cholesterol levels, lower their blood pressure, and decrease their A1C (blood glucose levels).
As part of the Community Health Worker Pilot, health coaches proactively meet Cigna Healthcare customers with diabetes to better understand their unique needs and barriers to better health. The coaches then connect those customers with programs, offerings, and organizations that can help them better manage their diabetes and offer more personalized support. That support is aligned with their health care providers, who can use that information to help drive better outcomes.
This example is for illustrative purposes only. It's based on an actual customer experience. Information has been changed to protect privacy. Customer results will vary.
When “Alan” enrolled in the pilot, his A1C was 12.6, which is dangerously high. In talking with Alan, the community health worker uncovered several contributing factors: Alan was under stress, had a poor diet, and wasn’t checking his glucose levels or taking his medications.
His community health worker connected Alan to a dietician to establish a healthy nutrition plan. Alan’s medical provider prescribed new medication and consistent glucose monitoring (CGM). Equally important, the community health worker continued to provide moral support and encouragement that helped Alan stick with those changes.
The results? In his most recent test, Alan’s A1C had dropped over five points, to 7.5.
Many customers enrolled in the pilots have benefited, and we remain committed to developing initiatives that continue to support health equity and better outcomes for all. Our Community Health Worker Pilot is just one way we’re giving each person every opportunity to live well.
Let’s give each person every opportunity to live well.
Health equity is at the heart of our business. See how The Cigna Group is driving change.