Beginning Sept. 1, Coloradans at Risk of Losing Preferred PT Providers
CONTACT: Don Knox, APTA Colorado, 720-272-0961
AURORA, Colorado – July 27, 2023 -- Thousands of Coloradans could lose their preferred choice of physical therapy providers because of an insurance company's expanded use of a benefits management contractor, the professional society for physical therapists says.
Beginning Sept. 1, Cigna will use the services of American Specialty Health, or ASH, in Colorado and seven other states -- Alaska, Arkansas, Mississippi, Missouri, Oklahoma, Tennessee, and Wyoming.
Physical-therapy providers in those states must be contracted with ASH to provide in-network services for Cigna patients. If providers can't reach an agreement, their patients will be forced to change PT providers or go without care, according to APTA Colorado, a component of the American Physical Therapy Association.
“APTA Colorado continues to fight against coercive contract practices and supports patients' rights to receive care from their provider of choice,” said Jill Flaherty, the association’s president.
The ASH changeover affects PPO, HMO, point of service, and individual and family benefit plans, as well as LocalPlus Cigna and Open Access Plus plans. It applies to freestanding physical therapy and occupational therapy facilities. It doesn't include speech therapy, multi-specialty groups, or hospitals.
Carmel, Indiana-based ASH is already active in Alabama, Arizona, California, Connecticut, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, and parts of Illinois and West Virginia.
The privately held ASH contracts with more than 80,000 clinical providers serving more than 50 million members (about twice the population of Texas), according to its website.
ABOUT US: APTA Colorado is a nonprofit professional society composed of more than 2,000 physical therapists, physical therapist assistants, and PT and PTA students. We are a component of the American Physical Therapy Association.
