Imagine this. You're at the Swiss Hotel in
Chicago surrounded by top executives from leading insurance
companies and health systems.
Welcome to Becker's Fall Pair Issues Roundtable, November
4th through 6, 2024.
Picture the excitement as you gather business cards
from over 500 executive level attendees,
building invaluable connections.
Feel the energy as you participate in over
26 educational sessions led by 90 elite speakers.
Envision yourself engaging in lively discussions about new
health plans, hospital at home models, behavioral health,
and price transparency.
Now imagine being inspired by keynotes from boxing
legend, Sugar Ray Leonard, and 4 time NBA
All Star, Chris Webber. Their stories will leave
you motivated and ready to innovate.
Don't miss out on this unique opportunity. Get
registered today. Visit beckershospital
hospitalreview.com
and click on the events page to find
the conference website. That's the beckershospitalreview.com
events page. See you in Chicago.
Hello, everyone. This is Jacob Emerson with the
Becker's Payor Issues podcast.
Thrilled today to be joined by a very
special guest. Kim Funderburk is the president of
Cigna Health Care's government education and health system
business. Kim, thank you so much for taking
the time to be with me on the
podcast today.
Thank you for having me.
So, Kim, before we dive into everything we
wanna talk with you about, can you tell
us a little bit more about yourself in
terms of your career background in health care
and what it is you're doing today at
Cigna?
Yes. I appreciate that. I am
currently
Cigna's health care's president of government education and
health system business division.
And so, for government, that is state and
local government. For education,
that is public k through 12
along with colleges and universities, whether they be
public or private, and then our hospitals,
go across the country.
And in my role,
my primary responsibility
is to drive
strategy
and growth in this particular segment, and we
do that through specialization.
So many new launches within this business. So
it just requires that there be customization
and recognition
of
these employees'
unique needs.
Rest of my background, I'm a native of
Atlanta, Georgia,
and I pride myself,
for my deep passion for health and community
advocacy.
My journey to these very important
segments that I service today really began right
here at Cigna where I started my career.
I served in
many capacities. I I was once in the
operations
center
and did all of the roles there in
a management trainee program and then moved over
to sales where I served in all the
client facing positions.
So from a service representative
on up to a new business
sales role,
which
is really what I would call my defining
moment in my career. So at that time,
there was not really this dedicated
business division, if you will, for government and
education that exists today.
It was the responsibility
then of the local markets, and I have
been fortunate enough to
rise to the level of large group sales.
So many of the sales opportunities would have
been the larger ones that we would see.
And, obviously, when you look at local markets,
certainly, public sector would be
those large single site accounts. And so I
had the opportunity to work on many large
school systems, many
large
public entities, and that's really really when I
developed a real affinity,
for this business. And in the public, these
servant leaders,
it reminded me so much of my experiences
as I was growing up. I'm a product
myself,
a proud product, I will say, of the
public education system, Atlanta Public Schools, and I've
always had that connection,
especially to teachers. And when I look back,
many of those,
my early mentors and role models were the
teachers who were at that front desk right
there,
in front of me.
So it does really feel like a full
circle moment. I did leave Cigna for a
short while to join a competitor, but even
during that time,
I was focused on education and public sector.
I can't be without this business so much
that they do for us, and I just
want to have an opportunity to do as
much for them as they have done for
me.
So,
the opportunity arose back here at Cigna, and
I was happy to come back home,
really to lead this vertical.
Fantastic. Well, it sounds like a long and
impactful career at Cigna thus far, Kim. And
in that vein, I wanna talk about the
the company's partnerships with organizations
such as school districts and city governments,
to support
workers that are facing stress and burnout.
Can you talk to us a little bit
about the specific strategies
or programs that you and and the company
has found most effective in addressing these these
top of mind issues for so many? And,
ultimately, Kim, how do you ensure long term
engagement with these programs?
Yeah. Sure.
So, certainly addressing stress and burnout among, you
know, public sector and school district employees, it
it really requires targeted strategies
that, again, align with the unique demands of
these roles. So here at Cigna, we've implemented
programs that are focused on the whole person
health, which integrates then physical, mental, and social
well-being.
Our vitality
programs,
they foster long term health by promoting preventive
care,
stress reduction techniques, and,
lifestyle improvements, I'll say, through our on-site wellness
coordinators.
So that's an important piece.
We will bring on-site resources
to our, business partners, if you will,
to help support them in that way. In
addition, another program is our mental health first
aid training. How important it is to,
arm
these professionals with the ability to address,
you know, mental health crises right there on
the spot. If you think about everything that
goes on in the classroom, how important it
is for a teacher to be armed with
those resources,
but then also, more importantly, to ensure that
we have a panel of physicians that are
equipped and that our members then have access
to that understand
everything that this,
unique population
faces. So these initiatives
to me have helped employees develop resilience
and adopt some of those sustainable habits.
I was looking at some research actually, and
about 44%
of teachers
report
experiencing high levels of burnout.
And then with public sector workers, they are
facing job stress. You know, there are limited
resources
and that emotional
exhaustion.
So,
again, through customized support, it could be behavioral
health programs, you know, that we have employee
assistance programs.
And, to a point that I made earlier,
on-site clinicians in those resources and even on-site
clinics,
that personalization
then ensures
those solutions
fit the needs of that workforce.
And so,
you asked the question about longer term engagement,
I believe.
And so as I think about that, I
believe it to be achieved through collaborative
planning with our clients.
So we rely heavily on data informing,
our solutions, our decisions. So we're analyzing that
data on utilization and health trends to continuously
improve our, programs and to tailor those
interventions.
We also are serving,
our employees
to understand
what is working, what isn't because it's an
iterative process, and we want to ensure
that we keep those employees engaged.
Absolutely. And I just wanna reiterate a a
statistic that you just mentioned there, Kim, that
44%
of teachers are will face burnout at some
point in their career. It's an amazing number.
And I think let's let's talk a little
bit about some of these initiatives on the
ground, real examples that have happened under your
leadership.
You have a recent partnership with the Chicago
Transit Authority,
to install workout rooms within transit hubs as
a creative way to help keep workers active,
especially for those that are managing chronic health
conditions. So going back to that that measurement
and engagement question, how do you measure the
impact of a wellness initiative like that with
the CTA,
and what's some of the feedback you've received
on the ground from these workers?
Yeah. Absolutely.
So,
you know, the the program was kind of
in its early stages.
Right?
So through CTA,
we developed that partnership. We opened 2 new
wellness fitness centers as part of that pilot
program, and it was really aimed at helping
those CTA employees make progress in achieving their
fitness goals.
So there's one facility
that's located at CTA University,
and then we're there's an additional one then
at the Chicago
Avenue garage,
and it is available and open to CTA
employees only
and is equipped with all the,
you know, current,
I will say, workout equipment from ellipticals and
TRX suspension trainers, so yoga mats, everything that
they need,
so that they can have an opportunity to
work out given their busy schedules, if you
will. So although in the, early stages, we're
monitoring the usage of the centers and whether
employees are seeing a positive impact.
We know that the success of this partnership,
reflects our belief that health and wellness
must meet people where they are. So we're
using,
a range of data driven
metrics, I'll say, to evaluate the impact. So
we wanna look at
patient rates and wellness activities.
We are also looking at that chronic disease
management
process, right, and the outcomes. Are we seeing
improved a one c levels,
blood pressure control for those individuals who may
be suffering from a chronic disease? We're also,
working with the HR team. Are we seeing
a reduction in absenteeism
or sick days? And then, we're also looking
at
preventive services.
So,
where did we start and where are we
now? Are we seeing engagement with preventive care
services? And thus far, you know, the feedback
has been positive.
Employees
certainly appreciate having convenient
access to workout spaces.
So it's allowing them to prioritize both their
fitness
their physical fitness and mental well-being.
And these workout rooms are also
providing a respite, if you will, from demanding
work environments. So we've heard that it's improving
morale and, as I mentioned,
productivity.
So more importantly, though, this program in partnership
with CTA has encouraged these workers to take
ownership of their health
and supporting them with their management of their
chronic conditions and, overall, just contributing to a
healthier workforce.
Wow. That's amazing, and and sounds like such
a great program and clearly some really amazing
results you've achieved thus far with it. So
appreciate you detailing that for us, Kim. Let's
switch gears for a second and talk about,
behavioral health, which, as you know, is a
is a major focus across the health care
industry, across many organizations right now, including for
Cigna and for your clients.
Can you talk about some of the innovations
or approaches that that the company is implementing
to improve access and support for behavioral health
services
within the public sector workforce that you serve?
Absolutely.
So,
yeah, we understand.
And and and you said it well there,
just the prevalence broadly across the country
and the world, really, around the need for,
behavioral health and the recognition
that there has to be adequate access and
services to address
all individuals across the spectrum.
So,
it certainly is essential to employee well-being,
particularly
in these high stress
public sector roles,
like teaching and emergency services. So our strategy
includes integrating behavioral health services
with primary care to ensure that there's access
and, you know, that there's seamless access and
and that that stigma is reduced.
And as you know, from the pandemic,
there was an increase in virtual services. So
just ensuring that we have a platform,
which we do, a digital platform,
which provides our members access to providers as
well. And what has happened as the result
of that is you've seen,
or you may have heard of the stigma
that's sometime associated with seeking that care. So
this digital platform
then allows members
to,
seek that care in the privacy of their
own personal home or their car,
wherever they see comfort, and we certainly have
seen an increase then
in services like that. So one thing that
I'll speak to is our Talkspace partnership.
So it allows employees to connect with licensed
therapists through a convenient
confidential digital platform
while on-site mental health coaches provide immediate support
for those who are experiencing
acute stress.
And the great news about that is, we're
extending or looking to extend our partnership,
specifically
in the education space for teens,
which is so needed as you are well
aware.
So it's an important it's an important partnership,
I will say, because
a lot of times those teens are the
ones
who may not seek that or the parents
don't know how really to address that. And
to a degree, it helps
provide some relief in the classroom as well
by offering these,
these teens access to a private confidential portal,
if you will. Another thing that we are
doing in partnership with o two x,
we've expanded our focus on resilience training,
safer first responders.
So they are a partner of ours,
which we've collaborated with, and they specialize
specifically
in resilience training. So that's physical and mental
for first responders.
If you think about all that first responders
have to contend with on a daily basis,
just helping them be able to manage their
stress in those high pressure
environments.
And I'd be remiss. I talked about it
a little bit before from another question,
but just ensuring that we are bringing forward
those on-site resources,
you know, clinicians that are helping
to educate. So it could be an on-site
behaviorist,
that we are bringing to help reduce,
you know, that need to go outside
for some support. So we're providing those resources
on-site.
And then, we might even have an on-site
nurse educator
because oftentimes what you see is a comorbidity
as it relates to mental health. So to
the extent you're having a chronic condition, then
there's a likelihood that you're suffering from depression
or anxiety as well. So just ensuring, again,
going back to the need for data and
really understanding the unique populations of each individual
entity and what would be required in order
to support them. I will speak also for
Mesa Public Schools. We implemented a comprehensive
wellness program, and it included a whole team
of engagement consultants
and on-site wellness coordinators that focused on physical
and mental health. So, here at Cigna, again,
it isn't a cookie cutter approach. What we
want to do is identify and understand the
unique challenges of each population and then bring
forward that tailored solution.
Then we let the data inform us. Is
it working? What should be tweaked? What additional
things should we be adding? So,
overall, the results have been, really strong. We've
heard
feedback that they have seen improvements.
The data is reflective of that. We love
to see that individuals are seeking the care
that they need.
So from our perspective, that is working for
us.
I think, too, I should mention that we
place a strong emphasis on addressing health disparities
and social determinants of health because that also
is key when it comes to ensuring that
someone
is living
a vital life, if you will.
So we definitely look at trying to help
our clients close some of those disparities
and providing information around social determinants of health
so that they can understand
some of those
challenges on the outside that may be affecting
mental health while they're at work.
Well, Kim, clearly a lot of great examples
there and and a lot of innovative behavioral
care strategies coming from Cigna, both virtually and
in person across a variety
of populations.
And in that vein, Kim, if we were
looking at the health insurance industry more broadly,
how do you see the role of insurers
evolving
to meet the needs of diverse populations across
the country, especially as we see an industry
wide shift towards more preventive care and, as
you know, more value based, care and payment
models.
Yeah. For sure. You know, I see the
role of insurers
evolving. It has to from traditional payers to
health partners.
That's I think you've heard me say that
throughout our partnership.
So you have to become a a true
health partner with a focus on collaboration,
customization,
innovation,
if you will.
And at Cigna, we view this evolution
through the lens of preventive care and whole
person health, which moves beyond claims processing
to proactively
managing well-being.
And as I think about what does that
really mean as we're managing well-being, it's back
to the data, data driven insights. So we're
using advanced analytics to predict those risks and
then to create
personalized
care plans to the individual,
which is key.
Our community partnerships,
we couldn't do it without that.
So collaborating with organizations
to address social determinants of health,
such as, you know, transportation
gaps, housing, food access, access, and then health
equity.
I mentioned that as well. So working to
close gaps in care and eliminate those barriers
to access for diverse populations.
And then our vitality and preventive care programs,
which are aimed to
empower
individuals to manage their health early,
which would then reduce the need for costly
interventions later.
So, for example, by integrating behavioral health support
with chronic disease management, we're ensuring that employees
are receiving
comprehensive care, which is aligned with their unique
circumstances.
Just think here, as insurers,
we must
also recognize,
right, the nuances
of public sector, of the school workforce, whether
it's the emotional
labor teachers experience
or,
if you consider the physical demands that are
placed on transit workers,
and then you have to develop solutions that
are addressing those specific challenges.
So for me, the key is
collaborating closely with clients to design customized solutions
that are meeting their needs and reflect
their organizational cultures.
Fantastic. Well, Kim, what else are we missing?
Any other final thoughts or final bits of
advice you'd like to offer while you have
the ears of a lot of health plan
leaders all over the country?
Yeah. Thank you. I appreciate that.
I have covered,
a lot of it, but, again, the future
of health care,
again, it lies in collaboration,
customization,
agility, really.
Health plan leaders must embrace that data informed
approach that I've spoken to,
that supports the whole person care while also
addressing social determinants of health, which are often
driving disparities.
Our experience shows that partnerships with clients
are most effective when they are built on
trust and those shared goals.
It's essential to recognize
this unique population
in public sector employees, such as those teachers
and first responders and just government employees in
general, the unique,
challenges that they are facing that require that
till that tailored support. So this means
understanding the emotional demands of the job,
ensuring access to the behavioral health services that
we spoke to, and then fostering environments that
are promoting long term vitality and well-being.
But, ultimately,
our roles
as insurers
is to be,
I'll call it, purpose driven partners.
So balancing business goals with that commitment to
improving the health of the communities that we
serve.
And so,
success, I feel, will come from innovating quickly
and listening closely to our clients. And then,
again, just ensuring that every solution we develop
reflects the diverse needs of the people we
support.
Wonderful. Well, I think that's a great place
to leave it. Kim, thank you so much
for taking the time to be with me
on the podcast today and for sharing your
insights with our listeners. We truly appreciate it.
Thank you so much for having me. If
you'd like to listen to more podcasts from
Becker's Healthcare, you can visit beckershospitalreview.com.