The Cigna Group Foundation Launches Its Health Equity Impact Fund – Company Announcement

Commitments $9 million in subsidies to reduce health disparities, starting with the Houston, TX And Hartford, CT Communities

BLOOMFIELD, Connecticut.
, July 22, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — As part of its ongoing commitment to the health and vitality of communities, the global healthcare company The Cigna Group (NYSE: CI) today announced the formation of The Cigna Group Health Equity Impact Funda community program in which The Cigna Group Foundation will commit $9 million over a three-year period to reduce key health barriers by specifically targeting the health disparities most prevalent in local communities.

The Cigna Group Health Equity Impact Fund will focus on specific geographic areas where health disparities are significant and will work to support, convene, and partner with nonprofit organizations that serve local community members to address the root causes of health disparities. To maximize the level of impact in communities in need, the fund will operate at a hyper-local level in select cities within The Cigna Group priority states, starting with Houston, TXAnd Hartford, CT.

“We are committed to advancing health equity in Houstonbecause it has one of the largest health disparities in the entire country, especially among people of color,” he said. Melissa Skottegaardchairman of the board of directors of The Cigna Group Foundation“We start by addressing those important social determinants of health – things like food, transportation, and access to equal care – to ensure that those who are underserved across their lives, Houston have the things they need to thrive. We are proud to have long-standing partnerships in the area and look forward to working with non-profit organizations to improve the health and vitality of Houston and other communities in need.”

Houston is among the communities in the country that face the greatest challenges in health disparities and outcomes, with high prevalence of obesity and diabetes that disproportionately affect Black and Latino communities. According to data from Understanding Houstonmore than 40% of black and Hispanic residents are obese and 25% of all Houston Adults themselves indicate that they do not exercise enough.

Lack of access to quality health care, high rates of sedentary lifestyles and limited access to healthy, affordable food are major factors contributing to Houstons health disparities. To close these disparities, The Cigna Group Health Equity Impact Fund used a data-driven approach to identify the following objectives of the funding program: Houstonto support Spanish-speaking adults (18+ years):

• Provide innovative methods and distribution channels for ongoing nutrition education and access to fresh food.
• Improve access to transportation to facilitate health visits and healthy physical activities.

The Cigna Group Foundation has a long history of impactful partnerships with nonprofits and recently announced a multi-year philanthropic and community engagement initiative committed to $27 million in grants over the next three years to nonprofit organizations focused on improving youth mental health, improving veterans mental health through housing stability, and reducing barriers to health equity.

More information about the approach, application procedure and requirements for The Cigna Group Health Equity Impact Fund can be found here.

About The Cigna Group

The Cigna Group (NYSE:CI) is a global health company committed to creating a better future built on the vitality of every individual and community. We relentlessly challenge ourselves to collaborate and innovate solutions for better health. The Cigna Group includes products and services marketed under Cigna Healthcare, Evernorth Healthcare or its subsidiaries. The Cigna Group maintains sales capabilities in over 30 countries and jurisdictions and has more than 187 million customer relationships worldwide. Learn more at thecignagroup.com.

About The Cigna Group Foundation

The Cigna Group Foundation is a private foundation funded by contributions from The Cigna Group (NYSE:CI) and its subsidiaries. The Cigna Group Foundation supports organizations committed to improving the health of individuals and families, and the well-being of their communities, with a special focus on those communities where employees of The Cigna Group life and work.

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SOURCE The Cigna Group