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Payers Embrace Online Consults


December 20, 2007

Health insurers Aetna Inc. and CIGNA HealthCare will offer reimbursement of online patient-physician consultations using the webVisit software of the RelayHealth unit of McKesson Corp., San Francisco.

Both payers are significantly expanding reimbursement for online consultations following pilot programs. Bloomfield, Conn.-based Cigna tested the online service since July 2006 with a limited number of physicians in California, Arizona, Florida and the New York City metropolitan region. Hartford, Conn.-based Aetna tested the service in California, Florida and Washington State.

CIGNA is offering the webVisit service to employers with self-insured health plans, reimbursable at $25, which includes the member’s co-payment. Aetna will offer the service to most fully insured plan members; self-insured plan sponsors can choose to participate. Aetna’s reimbursement rate may vary according to a physician’s contract.

Physicians typically pay $100 per physician per month for the software, which sometimes is subsidized by a hospital. The software also offers additional Web-based services to patients, including online prescription refills and renewals, delivery of laboratory test results, and appointment and referral requests. More information is available at relayhealth.com.

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