Cigna, Hartford HealthCare negotiating new contract ahead of Oct. 31 deadline

PHOTO | COSTAR Cigna headquarters in Bloomfield.

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The clock is ticking as Cigna Healthcare and Hartford HealthCare negotiate a new multiyear contract to replace the one that expires at the end of the month.

The existing contract between the Bloomfield-based insurance company and Hartford HealthCare expires at midnight on Oct. 31. If a new deal is not reached before then, all of Hartford HealthCare’s hospitals and affiliated medical practices would become out-of-network for Cigna policyholders.

The affected hospitals include Hartford Hospital; William Backus in Norwich; Midstate Medical Center in Meriden; The Hospital of Central Connecticut in New Britain and Southington; Charlotte Hungerford in Torrington; St. Vincent’s in Bridgeport; and Windham Hospital.

A spokesperson for Cigna Healthcare provided a statement via email on behalf of the company.

“First and foremost, our mission is to focus on our customers and patients and supporting access to the highest quality care, at the best value,” the spokesperson said. “We continue to negotiate with Hartford HealthCare in good faith, working towards a reasonable agreement that will keep health care affordable for our local employees, our customers and their families. We are focused on reaching a mutual agreement by the end of the month to mitigate any potential disruption.”

Hartford HealthCare also provided a statement via email.

“Hartford HealthCare has been actively engaging with Cigna as part of standard contract negotiations,” the spokesperson said. “We are very aware of the impact negotiations have on the communities and patients we serve. We will work diligently to resolve remaining issues to ensure a mutually agreeable contract and believe we can reach a resolution soon.”

Neither spokesperson provided details about the specific issues that are holding up an agreement. In addition, neither organization provided information on how many policyholders would be affected if a new contract is not reached.