Cigna is rolling out a new suite of digital tools, including a generative AI assistant, to help its members navigate their often-confusing health benefits and get straight answers on costs and coverage.

An AI for your EOB: The move is a direct response to a glaring problem: Cigna’s own research shows four out of five U.S. adults feel lost when trying to use their health benefits. The new tools include an AI-powered virtual assistant to answer questions in plain language, a provider-matching tool, a real-time cost tracker, and a feature that reads and auto-fills claim forms from uploaded medical bills.

Reading the room: The push for a better digital front door isn't happening in a vacuum. The health insurance industry has been under intense public and political pressure to become more transparent, a sentiment that boiled over following the killing of a UnitedHealthcare CEO in late 2024. In the months since, Cigna and its rivals have been on a public relations campaign, promising to cut red tape and, in Cigna's case, even tying executive pay to customer satisfaction scores.

The fine print: Weaving generative AI into sensitive health and financial conversations comes with risks, as the technology is famously prone to errors and "hallucinations." It remains unclear what specific guardrails Cigna has in place beyond a human backup, and as Healthcare Dive notes, Cigna isn’t saying which AI model is behind the curtain.

The bottom line: Cigna is betting that the convenience of AI can solve its customer frustration problem, but it will have to prove its technology is reliable enough to handle the high stakes of members' health and financial well-being. While Cigna promotes AI for member assistance, some insurers face scrutiny for allegedly using algorithms to systematically deny care. The industry-wide push for better digital tools comes as member engagement with health plan apps remains low. Meanwhile, Cigna’s transformation efforts also extend beyond digital, with a recent expansion of its in-home primary care services.

Reading Recap:

• Read Cigna's full press release

• See analysis on the industry pressure

• Explore a different take on the tools

• Understand Cigna's broader transformation goals