Cigna’s (NYSE: CI) health services division, Evernorth, has unveiled its new Evernorth Behavioral Health Group, a nationwide initiative dedicated to improving access to behavioral health care. This group promises to revolutionize the way patients receive mental health services by drastically reducing wait times and expanding clinician availability.
Tackling Long Wait Times and Improving Access to Behavioral Health Care
Long wait times have been a persistent barrier to care in behavioral health. Industry data reveals an average wait time of 48 days to see a behavioral health clinician, which can delay critical treatment. The Evernorth Behavioral Health Group is committed to improving access to behavioral health care by guaranteeing patients an appointment within 72 hours, a dramatic improvement over the current norm.
Launching with over 1,000 clinicians, the group offers both in-person and virtual care options, making it easier for patients to get the help they need quickly. This hybrid model is a key component of Evernorth’s strategy for advancing access to behavioral health care nationwide in 2025.
Simplifying Scheduling to Enhance Access
One major way Evernorth is improving access to behavioral health care is by enabling patients to schedule appointments online. Patients can enter their goals and preferences, which helps match them with the right clinician. This personalized and streamlined process reduces barriers and helps connect patients to appropriate care faster.
Eva Borden, President of Behavioral Health at Evernorth, emphasized the importance of speed and convenience:
“We’re focused on enabling access to care faster, which is why we guarantee appointments within 72 hours, combined with easy online scheduling.”
Supporting Clinicians to Sustain Improved Access
In addition to improving access for patients, Evernorth is also focused on improving access to behavioral health care by supporting clinicians. Many providers face burdensome administrative tasks that limit their capacity to see patients. Partnering with virtual care provider Octave, Evernorth aims to reduce these challenges, creating more time for clinicians to deliver quality care.
This approach helps sustain the network of clinicians, ensuring that Evernorth can continue improving access to behavioral health care without sacrificing quality.
Data-Driven Care and Value-Based Models
Evernorth’s behavioral health measurement program tracks key metrics such as time to care and patient outcomes. Using this data, the group advances value-based care models that reward effectiveness over volume. This focus on results is another way Evernorth is improving access to behavioral health care by demonstrating the value of timely and quality interventions.
Research shared during Cigna’s recent investor call showed that providing behavioral health care within one month of diagnosis can reduce total costs by 15%, underscoring the benefits of early access.
A Nationwide Effort to Improve Access to Behavioral Health Care
With a network that initially includes 1,000 clinicians and plans to grow, the Evernorth Behavioral Health Group will serve Cigna members as well as individuals covered by other health plans and employers. This expansive reach is central to Evernorth’s mission of advancing access to behavioral health care across the United States.
Amy Ayrault, president of Evernorth Behavioral Care Group, highlighted the vision:
“We are relentlessly focused on connecting patients quickly and easily with clinicians that match their goals and preferences. By creating a simple care experience, we enable improving access to behavioral health care nationwide.”
Industry Context and Future Outlook
Evernorth’s new Behavioral Health Group joins other major health services players, like Elevance Health and UnitedHealth, who have also expanded behavioral health capabilities through acquisitions and new service lines. These trends signal a growing commitment to advancing access to behavioral health care across the health care system.
As behavioral health becomes a central part of overall health, initiatives like Evernorth’s are critical to meeting patient needs and improving outcomes.
In Summary
Evernorth’s Behavioral Health Group is a major step forward in advancing access to behavioral health care by reducing wait times, simplifying patient-provider connections, supporting clinicians, and using data to deliver value-based care. This comprehensive approach has the potential to improve mental health outcomes for millions and reshape behavioral health care access nationwide.
