When employees visit a doctor's office for the first time or update their benefits, front-desk staff can sometimes get confused by ID cards that feature two company names: Better Health Plan and Cigna.
Because busy medical offices often see the Cigna logo and automatically call Cigna or check the Cigna portal, they may get an error stating the employee isn't in the system. This happens because Cigna only provides the discount network grid—Better Health Plan handles all the actual enrollment records, benefits verification, and payments.
To help your People Team quickly resolve employee confusion and equip them with the right words for their doctor, use this concise guide and script.
The "Who Does What" Breakdown
If an employee or a provider asks why both names are on the card, here is the quick explanation:
- The Network (Cigna): Provides access to the national Cigna PPO network of doctors and hospitals at negotiated discount rates.
- The Administrator (Better Health Plan): Acts as the Third-Party Administrator (TPA). We manage the daily operations, house the enrollment data, answer coverage questions, and pay the medical claims.
- Why the card says "Not Insured by Cigna": This is standard legal text for self-funded plans. It alerts the doctor that Cigna provides the network discount, but Better Health Plan handles the administration and funding.
Employee Script: What to Tell the Front Desk
Copy and paste this quick script into your internal HR newsletters, onboarding materials, or direct Slack/email replies when an employee is heading to the doctor:
📋 What to Say at Your Doctor's Office
"I have a self-funded health plan that uses the Cigna PPO network for provider discounts, but it is administered by Better Health Plan.
When you verify my eligibility or submit a claim, please do not log into the Cigna portal or call Cigna. They do not have my records. Instead, please use the Better Health Plan contact info and Payer ID printed on the back of my card."
Cheat Sheet for Providers (Claims & Eligibility)
If a provider's office contacts your HR team directly because they are stuck, provide them with these exact routing instructions:
1. Verifying Eligibility & Benefits
Providers will get an error if they search the Cigna database. They must contact Better Health Plan directly:
- Phone: (866) 881-0676, option 2 (Mon–Fri, 8:30 AM – 5:30 PM EST)
- Email: providers@betterhealthplan.com
2. Submitting Medical Claims
All claims must be routed to Better Health Plan, not Cigna, using the information on the back of the member ID card:
- Electronic Claims (EDI): Payer ID #62308
- Paper Claims: PO Box 188061, Chattanooga, TN 37422-8061
HR Support Tip: If an employee is sitting at the doctor's office and the front desk is refusing to cooperate, have the employee or the provider call Better Health Plan Member Services immediately at (866) 881-0676 (Option 1 for members, Option 2 for providers). Our team will call the front desk on the spot to resolve the roadblock.