Behavioral health remains a critical priority for Cigna Corp. (NYSE: CI) and its health services division, Evernorth, as the country faces an increasing demand for mental health and substance use disorder services. Over the last five years, Evernorth’s behavioral health provider network has doubled in size, now including more than 250,000 providers practicing both virtually and in traditional office settings across the United States. This growth is part of Cigna and Evernorth’s broader strategy to improve access, quality, and outcomes in behavioral health care through data-driven mental health solutions that meet modern care needs.
What Is Evernorth and How Does It Support Behavioral Health?
Evernorth serves as the health services arm of Cigna, bringing together clinical expertise, pharmacy services, and advanced data analytics into an integrated platform. This integration allows Evernorth to manage benefits, deliver care, and innovate service delivery models that span the healthcare continuum, including behavioral health.
Within Evernorth, several programs and platforms reflect its commitment to data-driven mental health solutions. Pharmacy services, such as ExpressScripts, manage medications and adherence. The Care+ division supports both virtual and onsite care delivery through platforms like MDLive, which provides behavioral health access nationwide. These efforts reflect a shift toward innovative and accessible care models supported by data.
Evernorth’s client base includes employers, health plans, and government entities. While supporting Cigna’s members, it also collaborates with outside organizations, extending its reach and enhancing behavioral health care across the system using scalable, data-driven mental health solutions.
Responding to Growing Behavioral Health Needs with Innovation
The behavioral health landscape has evolved significantly, particularly since the COVID-19 pandemic. A surge in demand—estimated at around 25%—has been matched with challenges including provider shortages and access barriers. Cigna and Evernorth have responded with a multi-pronged strategy rooted in data-driven mental health solutions.
Recognizing that even a network of 250,000 providers cannot fully meet demand, Evernorth has expanded care delivery beyond traditional clinicians. Behavioral health coaches, peer support specialists, and other professionals now assist with early-stage concerns like stress management. These roles help preserve clinician capacity for patients needing intensive services, creating a more efficient and responsive system.
Embracing Virtual Care and Digital Innovation
Virtual care has become a central tool in expanding behavioral health access. During the pandemic, over 60% of outpatient behavioral health visits were virtual. Today, that figure remains between 50% and 60%, underlining the staying power of remote care. Evernorth has leaned into this shift, making virtual therapy a cornerstone of its data-driven mental health solutions.
The benefits of virtual care—convenience, privacy, and provider reach—are amplified by digital partnerships. Collaborations with companies like Quit Genius and Alma provide access to digital addiction treatment and practice support for independent providers. These partnerships enhance scalability and innovation across behavioral health care delivery.
Using Data and Predictive Analytics to Improve Outcomes
One of Evernorth’s strongest advantages lies in its vast data resources and analytics capabilities. By integrating behavioral health data with medical and pharmacy claims, the organization delivers truly data-driven mental health solutions.
Predictive models are used to identify high-risk individuals and intervene early. For instance, algorithms can identify children likely to be diagnosed with autism within six months or flag those at imminent risk of opioid overdose. These insights drive proactive outreach and coordinated care strategies, ensuring support is delivered when it’s most needed.
Evernorth continuously measures outcomes to evaluate the effectiveness of its interventions. This feedback loop is essential to improving patient experiences and system-wide performance through refined, data-driven mental health solutions.
Supporting the Workforce and Other Health Plans
The behavioral health workforce shortage affects providers and patients across the U.S. Evernorth addresses this issue not only by growing its own network, but also by supporting employers and other health plans with services that include virtual care infrastructure, clinical oversight, and network management. These offerings are powered by data-driven mental health solutions designed to adapt to the unique needs of different organizations.
By helping other healthcare entities deliver effective behavioral health care, Evernorth contributes to a more connected and resilient system. This collaborative model fosters care expansion and ensures high-quality support reaches underserved communities.
Conclusion
Cigna and Evernorth’s commitment to data-driven mental health solutions is transforming behavioral health care at a time of urgent need. Their strategy combines provider network growth, virtual care delivery, predictive analytics, and digital partnerships to create scalable solutions that enhance both access and outcomes.
As behavioral health challenges evolve, so too must the systems built to support them. Evernorth’s integrated, forward-thinking model offers a blueprint for how large-scale health organizations can lead with innovation, compassion, and measurable results. Through these efforts, more individuals will receive timely and effective mental health support—shaping a future where behavioral health is not only prioritized, but proactively optimized.
