Cigna Group Launches Multi-Year Initiative to Enhance Accountability and Transparency

The Cigna Group has announced a new multi-year effort aimed at improving accountability, transparency, and customer support following public outrage over the health insurance industry after the tragic shooting of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson on December 4.

On Monday, Cigna launched "actions to drive positive change for customers and patients," shortly after CEO David Cordani emphasized the need for the industry to provide better support and resources to help customers navigate the healthcare system during a fourth quarter earnings call.

Cordani stated, "In early December, we all witnessed the tragic murder of Brian Thompson, a leader at the UnitedHealth Group. The past several weeks have further challenged us to even more intensely listen to the public narrative about our industry. At The Cigna Group, we are further accelerating improvements in innovations to increase transparency, expand support and drive even greater accountability."

Cigna is the first major competitor of UnitedHealthcare to introduce reforms following Thompson's death, which has highlighted issues regarding health insurer denials of medical care and various business practices that have drawn criticism from social media, the public, and lawmakers advocating for reform.

To promote accountability, Cigna plans to "tie its leaders' compensation to improving the satisfaction of its customers." Beginning in early 2026, the company intends to publish an annual "Customer Transparency Report" to clearly show its progress towards meeting its commitments. This report will provide vital information on how Cigna facilitates customer care, detailing services and resolution statistics.

Cordani remarked, "We do a lot of good for many people, but we need to do better for everyone. We are committed to implementing tangible actions across our company to help drive better health outcomes and health care experiences. Today's announcement marks initial steps in our multi-year journey toward building a better and more sustainable model in health care."

Cigna has identified five key areas of focus for its reforms, which come less than a month after the introduction of similar initiatives by its healthcare services arm, Evernorth. Evernorth manages Express Scripts, a leading pharmacy benefit management company.

Evernorth pledged to protect patients from high medication prices and improve financial predictability for patients in employer-sponsored plans, ensuring they benefit from savings negotiated by Express Scripts. They will also provide annual personalized summaries to customers detailing how these discounts directly benefit them, along with standardized reports for plan sponsors on costs and claims.

To oversee the implementation of these reforms, Cigna has established a new "Office of Excellence and Transformation," led by Dr. David Brailer, the company's executive vice president and Chief Health Officer. Chris DeRosa will take on a new role leading this office, reporting to Dr. Brailer. DeRosa, a seasoned Cigna leader, has an extensive understanding of customer and health plan sponsor needs.