We thank providers for their patience as we work to resolve disruption from Change Healthcare’s cyber security incident. As an organization, we are focused on ensuring access to care and medications for our customers and patients, while also ensuring that you have alternative options to transact with us as needed.

Cigna Healthcare Medicare Advantage uses Change Healthcare to issue electronic funds transfer (EFT), paper check payments, and corresponding electronic remits and explanation of payments (EOPs) to providers. Over the past several weeks, we have been working on alternative options to ensure providers are paid as soon as possible.

Zelis to issue payments for all claims

We are pleased to share that we have partnered with Zelis to issue payments for all claims submitted to Cigna Healthcare Medicare Advantage, including any outstanding claims that were previously submitted:

• To Change Healthcare prior to February 21;
• To another vendor (e.g., Availity); or
• Directly to Cigna Healthcare Medicare Advantage

Zelis will also be responsible for issuing payments for any new claims that providers submit directly to Cigna Healthcare Medicare Advantage or through another vendor.

Receive digital payments

• Zelis has also set up a Zelis ePayment Center, where providers can register for electronic funds transfer (EFT) and electronic remittance advice (ERA) services from Cigna Healthcare Medicare Advantage at no cost to you. Electronic payments will begin as soon as a provider’s setup is complete. To enroll, please visit https://cignama.epayment.center/.

• If they haven’t already, providers can also upgrade to ACH+ through the Zelis Payments Network and streamline their payments and remittances from an additional 450+ payers through a single portal. Providers can customize their payment and data preferences, including clearinghouse delivery. Virtual cards are also available. To enroll, please contact Zelis at 1.855.496.1571.

If a provider is already part of the Zelis Payments Network and currently receive electronic payments from them, Zelis will transfer that provider to electronic payments for these claims as soon as possible, and no action is needed by the provider.

Reconnecting our system with Change Healthcare

While UnitedHealth Group has announced potential restoration timelines for Change Healthcare’s systems, Cigna Healthcare has high standards for security from all vendors and will only reestablish connection with Change Healthcare when proper validation of the security of their network has been provided to us, which cannot take place until after Change Healthcare can restore their impacted environment.

Therefore, we cannot commit to a specific timeline right now for when Cigna Healthcare’s systems will be reconnected to Change Healthcare. As a result, certain claims submitted to Change Healthcare on (or just prior to) February 21 may not have a payment released until Change Healthcare is back online and we reconnect our systems to them.

We also recognize and appreciate that many providers have switched to a new claims clearinghouse and may have already resubmitted claims that were previously submitted to Change Healthcare. Payments received from another clearinghouse will be released by Zelis in accordance with what was described above.

Additional information

As a reminder, we encourage you to continue to work through an alternative vendor to submit claims   (i.e., 837 transactions) to us while our systems remain severed to Change Healthcare. For a list of alternative vendors to work with, please visit medicareproviders.cigna.com > View Provider Manual (pages 13–15).

If providers have any questions about Zelis’ new payment options, please contact them at 833.306.0337.