New Data Show Costs of Prematurity Can Last a Lifetime and Employers are
Paying the Price
PHILADELPHIA, April 5, 2005 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- CIGNA (NYSE: CI)
today announced it will again be a national sponsor of the 2005 March of Dimes
WalkAmerica(R), the organization's largest annual fund-raising event, for the
eleventh consecutive year. Since 1994, CIGNA and its employees have
contributed $16 million to the March of Dimes.
An estimated one in eight babies in the United States is born prematurely
every year. It takes a tremendous emotional and financial toll on families as
premature babies fight to survive and may continue to face ongoing health
challenges throughout their lives. The economic cost of prematurity is
significant for families and for employers who sponsor medical insurance for
their families. According to recently released data from the March of Dimes,
employers pay nearly 15 times more in medical expenses for babies born
prematurely in their first year of life than they do for healthy, full-term
babies.
CIGNA works with employer-clients to manage their rising health care costs
by helping ensure their employees get the care they need to prevent, manage or
overcome health issues. By reducing the incidence of prematurity among an
employee population, families will be healthier and employers can avoid
significant direct and indirect costs. In addition to the larger health care
costs, the extra care a premature baby needs can also impact productivity in
the workplace in terms of more time away from work for the parents as well as
possible presenteeism.
"While the consequences of premature birth are most obvious on a baby and
its family, they also have a significant impact on employers. In addition to
the critical issues of the health and well-being of the infant, employers
should be aware of the emotional toll prematurity can have on the workforce as
well as the high health and productivity costs. CIGNA supports the work of the
March of Dimes to reduce prematurity because we know healthy babies mean a
healthier future - for families, workplaces and the bottom line," said David
Cordani, President, Health Segments.
CIGNA offers several resources to help educate expectant members on having
healthy pregnancies and preventing premature births. Members have access to
the CIGNA HealthCare Healthy Babies(R) program where they receive educational
materials from a recognized source of information on pregnancy and babies -
the March of Dimes. Members also have round-the-clock access to the toll-free
CIGNA HealthCare 24-Hour Health Information Line(SM) and may talk to a
registered nurse about questions or concerns.
Members who are considered to have high-risk pregnancies may take
advantage of case management services. The case manager is a registered nurse
who provides information about their risk factors and helps them coordinate
health care services and benefits. The High-Risk Maternity program proactively
identifies pregnant women who are at high risk for pregnancy-related
complications and prenatal hospitalizations because of co-morbid conditions,
such as hypertension or diabetes. If a baby is born prematurely, CIGNA members
may take advantage of the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) Case Management.
Through this program, CIGNA seeks to appropriately reduce the length of stay
for infants in the NICU by resolving barriers to discharge, and facilitating
parental education and use of community resources.
Beyond CIGNA's program offerings to help manage prematurity, CIGNA and its
employees are committed to the March of Dimes. Every year, CIGNA mobilizes
thousands of employees and their families to participate in WalkAmerica events
held throughout the country from late March through early May. CIGNA is also
national sponsor of the March of Dimes Prematurity Campaign, a five-year
public education campaign to raise awareness of prematurity and reduce rates
of preterm birth, which have increased 29 percent since 1981.
The March of Dimes is a national voluntary health agency whose mission is
to improve the health of babies by preventing birth defects 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 five-year campaign to address the increasing rate of premature
birth. For more information, visit the March of Dimes Web site at
http://www.marchofdimes.com, or its Spanish Web site at
http://www.nacersano.org. For more information on the annual March of Dimes
WalkAmerica, visit the Web site at http://www.walkamerica.org.
As a Business of Caring, CIGNA provides employers with benefits programs,
expertise and services that improve the health, well-being and productivity of
their employees. Serving millions of customers, clients and members in the
U.S. and around the globe, CIGNA's operating subsidiaries offer a full
portfolio of medical, dental, behavioral health, pharmacy and vision care
benefits; group life, accident and disability insurance, and health care
coverages for expatriate employees.
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