Aims to Promote Healthy Pregnancies, Reduce Health Toll and Cost of
Prematurity to Families and Communities
PHILADELPHIA, April 18, 2007 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- For the 13th
consecutive year, a team of CIGNA employees will walk shoulder to shoulder
with the March of Dimes in its fight against premature birth. CIGNA will
once again be a national corporate sponsor of the March of Dimes 2007
WalkAmerica campaign.
CIGNA employees from across the country will hold special events,
collect pledges, and walk miles to raise money for education and research
to reduce prematurity and help babies get the healthiest start possible.
CIGNA aims to add to the $19 million it has raised thus far for the March
of Dimes. The theme for this year's CIGNA effort is "Team Up! To Save
Babies."
As a company that works to improve the health of its members, CIGNA's
goals are well aligned with those of the March of Dimes. By reducing
premature births through supporting March of Dimes information, education,
and research initiatives, CIGNA can help families and communities affected
by premature birth.
"No parent should have to leave the hospital with empty arms after the
birth of a baby too small to survive on his or her own," said Dr. David
Ferriss, CIGNA HealthCare's national medical director for clinical program
development. "CIGNA employees are doing their part to help reduce the
number of times that has to happen."
Ferriss added, "The closer to full term a baby goes, the healthier that
baby is likely to be. Giving mothers the information they need and
encouraging them to use it are among the most important steps we can take
to reduce prematurity and the burdens that come with it. As part of the
programs we offer to consumers, we encourage expectant mothers to get
recommended prenatal care and take advantage of resources available to help
those at high risk of having a premature baby. In this effort CIGNA and the
March of Dimes are on the same team."
Along with the obvious health and emotional tolls that premature birth
takes, CIGNA recognizes the daunting financial cost of premature birth to
families, employers, and communities. According to the March of Dimes, an
estimated 11 percent of newborns covered by employer health plans are born
prematurely and prematurity costs employers more than 15 times more in
health care costs over the first year of life than an average birth.
A pre-term child amasses health care costs of $41,610 on average in his
or her first year. For a full-term baby, the cost is $2,839, according to
the March of Dimes. Helping women have healthy pregnancies also helps
employers as they work to manage health care costs.
Along with its support for the March of Dimes, CIGNA offers several
programs to encourage healthy babies.
-- CIGNA Healthy Pregnancies, Healthy Babies -- A comprehensive maternity
management program that expands services offered to expectant members
to help improve their chances of having healthy pregnancies and
deliveries. The program, which launched in January, 2007 aims to
identify members with risk factors so they can begin a plan of care
early on that could help minimize potential complications or premature
births.
-- CIGNA HealthCare Healthy Babies(R) -- This health awareness kit
provides members with education on healthy behaviors during pregnancy.
The "Healthy Babies" education packet includes information on
depression, stress and dental care during pregnancy, and materials from
the March of Dimes.
-- CIGNA Dental Oral Health Maternity Program(R) -- This benefit
enhancement provides 100% reimbursement for periodontal scaling and
root planing -- a non-surgical dental procedure to treat gum disease -
and certain other procedures to treat gum disease performed during
pregnancy for eligible members with both CIGNA medical and dental
coverage. It was designed in response to research that shows a
connection between pre-term birth and gum disease.
About CIGNA
As a Business of Caring, CIGNA (NYSE: CI) provides employers with
benefits, expertise and services that improve the health, well-being and
productivity of their employees. With approximately 47 million covered
lives in the United States and around the world, CIGNA's operating
subsidiaries offer a full portfolio of medical, dental, behavioral health,
pharmacy and vision care benefits and group life, accident and disability
insurance.
About the March of Dimes
The March of Dimes is a national voluntary health agency whose mission
is to improve the health of babies by preventing birth defects, premature
birth, and infant mortality. Founded in 1938, the March of Dimes funds
programs of research, community services, education, and advocacy to save
babies, and in 2003 launched a campaign to address the increasing rate of
premature birth. WalkAmerica(R) is the March of Dimes' largest fundraising
campaign. For more information, visit the March of Dimes Web site at
http://marchofdimes.com/ or its Spanish language Web site at
http://nacersano.org/. For more information on the annual March of Dimes
WalkAmerica(R), visit the Web site at http://www.walkamerica.org/.
SOURCE CIGNA
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Related links:
http://www.cigna.com
http://marchofdimes.com http://www.walkamerica.org
http://www.prnewswire.com/comp/165050.html/
CONTACT:
Judy Hartling of CIGNA, +1-860-226-6272,
judy.hartling@cigna.com
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