CIGNA To Standardize Claims with Acenza

In a move intended to standardize and enforce best-practice claims management across CIGNA's disability benefits claims processes—which were previously being performed with slight variance—the Philadelphia-based insurer has awarded FileNET (Costa Mesa, CA) a contract for use of its Acenza for Insurance application suite. The suite will be integrated with CIGNA's existing Disability Management Solutions systems.

CIGNA will implement the FileNET solution as part of its existing system, which previously did not enforce uniformity because its was basically a data-entry system, according to Andrew Sullivan, assistant vice president, disability management process and technology, CIGNA Group Insurance. The Acenza solution "will touch CIGNA's claims intake process and go throughout all of CIGNA's core claims management processes, including assessment, approval or denial, return-to-work management and final outcome," explains Sullivan. "It will allow CIGNA to standardize and enforce best-practices claims management across the network."

The enhanced claims management system will also enable the setting and enforcement of duration expectations for how quickly approval or denial decisions should be made. It will enable CIGNA "to set a standard that is critical for policyholders and ASO (administrative services only) customers," says Sullivan. Functions of the enhanced system will include the ability for customer service reps to view all documents, forms and correspondences and track the status of all transaction in process. Additionally, the system will allow for the viewing of all files that may be linked to a central document. After claims are submitted, they will be assigned automatically to the right person, according to established claims protocols for quick resolution.