CIGNA has appeared asleep at the wheel for sometime now as competitors Wellpoint and the more aggressive Aetna look to engage the end consumer.

Not any more.

Today’s Washington Post had a brief article on CIGNA’s introduction of the new website, itstimetofeelbetter. Along with the new website, which has a wide ranging and somewhat confusing mix of material, CIGNA is also leveraging social media, ala facebook, and the ubiquitous iPod via podcasts at “CIGNA University” on iTunes.

Checked out the site and it is worth a drive-by just to see how CIGNA perceives the market and what it seeks to offer the consumer.

What I liked:

• The interactive tools (most provided by Healthwise) are fun, though tough to read. Did a quick one on calories burned during my 2hr bike ride this morning (plenty, I get a big desert tonight – did I tell you I ride to eat?). Did another on heart health – looking good.
• Some informative, albeit common content, that one would find just about anywhere via Google search. Nicely presented.
• A “game” to test one’s health knowledge. Taking the test results in CIGNA contributing clean water to children in India.

What I was less impressed with:

• The content/information provided was all over the map. Sure, much of it was consumer facing, but if this is truly a site to educate the consumer, why have a white paper targeting employers?
• If one is going to do something on iTunes, why not get creative and develop a couple of innovative apps for the iPhone/iTouch. A podcast is just so 2002ish.
• Where is the information on PHRs? Absolutely nothing on the subject and a real missed opportunity to educate the consumer.
• How about quality and transparency in healthcare – nothing! How can CIGNA be promoting CDHP to employers while at the same time not educating the consumer on healthcare buying decisions is beyond me.

Bottomline:

Happy to see health plans get out there and try to educate the consumer and in time sites such as this should improve. Question is, will they actually dedicate the resources to do it?

Encourage CIGNA and others to rip a page out of the Google play-book and consider such activities as this as a continual work in progress – iterate, iterate, iterate – it will always be in Beta.