NPR Wellness Center in Cooperation with Cigna Brings In-House Healthcare to Employees

NPR (National Public Radio) today celebrated the opening of its onsite Wellness Center in cooperation with Cigna with a ribbon cutting and staff tours. Located within NPR’s new headquarters and managed by Cigna, the employee Wellness Center is a cornerstone of NPR’s focus on creating a healthy work environment for its DC-based staff of approximately 800.

Sam Kass, Executive Director of Let’s Move! and Senior Policy Advisor on Nutrition for the White House, joined NPR President and CEO Gary E. Knell and Julia Huggins, president for Cigna in the MidAtlantic, for the opening ceremony of the NPR Wellness Center.

The Center is available to eligible full-time and part-time NPR staff with no co-pay or out-of-pocket expense. The center is staffed by a nurse practitioner and medical assistant, open for 24 hours each week and accepts both walk-ins and scheduled appointments.

“We looked at our new headquarters as an opportunity to advance employee health and wellness initiatives,” said Jeff Perkins, NPR’s Chief People Officer. “Our Wellness Center is going to improve our staff’s overall health, save our employees time and money, and increase workplace productivity – all keys to improving work-life integration.”

NPR staff can visit the Wellness Center for preventive care services, such as routine physical exams and flu shots. In addition, NPR News journalists preparing to go on assignment overseas will be able to get the required immunizations they need conveniently onsite before going abroad. The Wellness Center will also offer chronic condition coaching to help employees manage conditions such as heart disease, asthma and diabetes, as well as health management classes, including workshops for weight loss and/or smoking cessation.

The NPR Wellness Center is the product of a long relationship between NPR and Cigna, NPR’s primary medical plan carrier since 1992. NPR also has Cigna pharmacy, dental and behavioral coverage, and now, Cigna-managed onsite health services available to NPR staff.

“Creating a culture of health in the workplace starts with senior leadership commitment to the health and well-being of employees. Organizations like NPR understand helping employees maintain or achieve their best health is critical to their organization’s success,” said Julia Huggins, president and general manager for Cigna in the MidAtlantic. “Our Cigna team looks forward to serving the needs of NPR employees at the new Wellness Center.”

Cigna analysis supporting the project suggests that the expected savings to NPR and staff over the first three years resulting from the NPR Wellness Center are anticipated to be approximately $390,000 – due to claims cost reduction, avoiding lost work time, and generic drug conversion.

Based on Cigna's experience providing onsite wellness services to clients around the country, NPR staff overall could expect to experience a 25% decrease in their primary care costs, a 32% reduction in specialist visits and a 38% reduction in emergency room visits.

In addition to the Wellness Center, the new NPR building has an onsite workout facility managed by Corporate Fitness Works, a bike room for the many NPR employees who ride bikes to work and Sound Bites Café featuring a menu full of healthy options, operated by Guckenheimer.

Photos of the new NPR Wellness Center in cooperation with Cigna, as well as photos from the opening ceremony, are available to media upon request.

About NPR

NPR is an award-winning, multimedia news organization and an influential force in American life. In collaboration with more than 900 independent public radio stations nationwide, NPR strives to create a more informed public - one challenged and invigorated by a deeper understanding and appreciation of events, ideas and cultures.

About Cigna

Cigna Corporation (NYSE: CI) is a global health service company dedicated to helping people improve their health, well-being and sense of security. All products and services are provided exclusively by or through operating subsidiaries of Cigna Corporation, including Connecticut General Life Insurance Company, Cigna Health and Life Insurance Company, Life Insurance Company of North America and Cigna Life Insurance Company of New York. Such products and services include an integrated suite of health services, such as medical, dental, behavioral health, pharmacy, vision, supplemental benefits, and other related products including group life, accident and disability insurance. Cigna maintains sales capability in 30 countries and jurisdictions, and has approximately 78 million customer relationships throughout the world. To learn more about Cigna®, including links to follow us on Facebook or Twitter, visit www.cigna.com.

Photos/Multimedia Gallery Available: http://www.businesswire.com/multimedia/home/20130424006044/en/