- Free, available to all veterans – Cigna
customers and non-customers
- Responds to opioid crisis within
veteran community
- New Mindfulness for Vets program helps
relieve veterans’ chronic pain, stress
- New Support Line provides assistance
with wide range of veterans’ needs
Studies show that veterans face a range of challenges and often
struggle with chronic pain, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD),
depression and other health conditions, as well as the challenges
of transitioning back to civilian life. To show appreciation for
their sacrifices and help veterans combat opioid addiction, Cigna
has introduced a free national Veteran Support Line
available 24/7/365 days a year. The new support line –
855.244.6211 – is for all veterans, their families and
caregivers – whether or not the veteran is a Cigna
customer.
The Veteran Support Line will help veterans with services and
resources for pain management, substance use counseling and
treatment, financial issues, food, clothing, housing, safety,
transportation, parenting and child care, aging services, health
insurance, legal assistance and more.
In addition, to provide access to alternative therapies such as
mindfulness, Cigna is now offering a weekly Mindfulness for
Vets session, exclusively for veterans. Mindfulness is an
evidence-based therapy proven to have a positive impact on
depression, stress, anxiety, performance, sleep, addiction,
PTSD and more.
“America’s veterans made many sacrifices for us and put their
lives on the line to secure our freedom. Now it’s our
responsibility to help them achieve the security they’re seeking in
their own lives,” said Karen Cierzan, vice president of clinical
operations for Cigna’s behavioral health business.
Cierzan said that Cigna is also offering an interactive
mindfulness program exclusively for veterans, because many veterans
find that mindfulness and meditation can help them manage stress
and pain more effectively, an issue that affects veterans more than
the general population. The number of veterans living with opioid
issues grew 55 percent between 2010 and 2015.1 With higher rates of
chronic pain2 and a 270 percent spike in opioid prescriptions over
a 12-year period,3 veterans are twice as likely to die from an
accidental opioid overdose than non-veterans.4
The Mindfulness for Vets program will be available every
Tuesday at 4 p.m. central time by calling 1.888.244.6260 and
entering the passcode 536435. According to Cierzan, this
mindfulness group is designed exclusively for veterans to be
“interactional, instructional and experiential.” At the end of
the group session, if a participant would like to talk further with
a coach, a direct number will be provided.
“Mindfulness for Vets will provide training in mindful stress
management, acceptance and compassion. The group will encourage
veterans to observe their thoughts, feelings and sensations in the
present moment without judgment, and cultivate self-care,” Cierzan
said.
All veterans, their caregivers and families, whether they are
customers are not, also are invited to participate in Cigna’s other
Mindfulness Drop-In sessions currently open to Cigna
customers. These take place every Monday and Thursday at 5 p.m.
central time and every Wednesday at 7:30 p.m. central time by
calling 1.888.244.6260 and entering the passcode
388032.
“These groups are designed to offer a space where people can
practice mindfulness, so there is no sharing of personal
information during these groups. Each session will provide a simple
introduction to basic relaxation and mindfulness practice and is
suitable for anyone at any level of experience with mindfulness.
The remainder of the session is a rotation of techniques, such as
breath work, progressive muscle relaxation, guided visualization,
positive affirmation, attention and compassion exercises. The group
will wrap up with tips for continuing personal practice and group
discussion about applying these skills to daily life,” Cierzan
said.
As a leader in the U.S. health care system, and a top employer
of veterans, Cigna is committed to helping veterans overcome opioid
misuse as well as other life challenges. Through extensive research
with veterans organizations earlier this year, Cigna learned that
some veterans fall through the cracks of the health system, and
that connecting with other veterans provides them with a level of
comfort and trust. This led to Cigna’s development of the free
support line for all veterans and their families/caregivers, as
well as the mindfulness groups exclusively for veterans.
These resources are another example of Cigna’s commitment to the
veteran community. In July, the Cigna Foundation gave a $300,000
grant to the Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America (IAVA) to
help expand its Rapid Response Referral Program, a community effort
to help veterans meet their life goals through connections to
education, medical and legal resources and benefits.
For more information on how opioids affect veterans, go to
http://tacklingopioids.eiu.com/. To read more about how Cigna is
supporting the veteran community, go to
http://www.rollcall.com/sponsored-content/finding-consensus-on-opioid-misuse-is-critical/.
About Cigna
Cigna Corporation (NYSE: CI) is a global health service company
dedicated to helping people improve their health, well-being and
sense of security. All products and services are provided
exclusively by or through operating subsidiaries of Cigna
Corporation, including Connecticut General Life Insurance Company,
Cigna Health and Life Insurance Company, Life Insurance Company of
North America and Cigna Life Insurance Company of New York. Such
products and services include an integrated suite of health
services, such as medical, dental, behavioral health, pharmacy,
vision, supplemental benefits, and other related products including
group life, accident and disability insurance. Cigna maintains
sales capability in 30 countries and jurisdictions, and has more
than 95 million customer relationships throughout the world. To
learn more about Cigna®, including links to follow us on Facebook
or Twitter, visit www.cigna.com.
1
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/frontline/article/veterans-face-greater-risks-amid-opioid-crisis/
2
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/frontline/article/veterans-face-greater-risks-amid-opioid-crisis/
3 http://cironline.org/node/5261
4
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/frontline/article/veterans-face-greater-risks-amid-opioid-crisis/
View source
version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20171030005542/en/
Cigna CorporationGloria
Barone,215-761-4758Gloria.Barone@cigna.comorMark Slitt,
860-226-2092Mark.Slitt@cigna.com
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