The Cigna Group launched the Cigna Group Health Equity Impact Fund on Monday. The company’s foundation committed $9 million through the fund over three years to reduce health disparities in local communities.
The fund is focusing on communities where health disparities are the most prevalent, starting with Houston, Texas, and Hartford, Connecticut. The fund will collaborate with local nonprofits in these communities and will reach out to qualified nonprofits to “identify alignment and pursue full application for consideration,” said Suzanne Klotz, president of The Cigna Group Foundation, in an email. The first cohort of the program can request grants between $100,000 and $250,000 for 12 or 24 months.
Cigna selected these initial two cities through a “data-led approach” and determined that there are significant health disparities in these cities compared to other cities in the fund’s focus areas, Klotz said.
“Connecticut, inclusive of Hartford, which is typically known for having strong health outcomes overall, still has some of the widest gaps in racial and ethnic disparities in the nation, with Black and Hispanic Hartford-area residents more likely to forgo health care than non-Hispanic White residents,” Klotz stated. “Houston, meanwhile, is ranked among the worst in the nation for both health disparities and outcomes, with a high prevalence of obesity and diabetes among Hispanic residents.”
In Houston, more than 40% of Black and Hispanic residents battle obesity and 25% of all Houston adults say they don’t get enough exercise. A lack of access to healthcare, transportation and healthy food exacerbates these disparities. To address these disparities, the Cigna Group Health Equity Impact Fund plans to support nutrition education and fresh food access, as well as improve access to transportation for health visits and physical activities for Hispanic adults.
“Our goal for The Cigna Group Health Equity Impact Fund is to help address the root causes of health disparities in the communities we serve,” Klotz said. “We know that 80% of health outcomes are determined by factors that happen outside of the doctor’s office – known as the social determinants of health. These include basic needs such as access to healthy foods, transportation, and physical activities. For example, in Houston, we are focused on reducing the prevalence of obesity and diabetes by addressing those key social determinants of health.”
In Hartford, Cigna will focus on supporting Black and Hispanic adults by expanding the availability of providers and community-based resources with culturally appropriate care models. It will also advance access to transportation for health visits and physical activities.
Klotz added that Cigna will explore other locations with significant health disparities that are in need of support.
Several other insurers and healthcare organizations have made investments to address health disparities. Last year, Health Net made a $46 million investment to support those who are unhoused in California. Kaiser Permanente has also committed $50 million to battle food and nutrition insecurity between 2022 and 2030.
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