Dr. Amy Flaster Takes on Expanded Role at Cigna
New Appointment and Responsibilities
Dr. Amy Flaster has been promoted to Chief Medical Officer (CMO) of Cigna, overseeing both Cigna Healthcare and its health services division, Evernorth. Flaster, who joined Cigna late last year as the CMO of the health insurance sector, will assume her new responsibilities starting November 1. In her expanded role, she will focus on enhancing clinical performance, exploring new care models, managing provider oversight, and identifying technological advancements that can improve healthcare delivery.
Professional Background
Flaster’s career began at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston, where she practiced as a primary care physician. She later founded a health IT platform dedicated to advance directive documentation. Transitioning into hospital leadership, Flaster served as associate medical director at Partners HealthCare, now known as Mass General Brigham, in 2016. She subsequently led population health strategy at Health Catalyst, a data and analytics firm, before becoming the CMO at ConcertoCare, a value-based home care provider for seniors, in 2021. At Cigna, she will report directly to COO Brian Evanko.
Leadership Changes at Cigna
Flaster’s appointment comes at a time of significant leadership changes within Cigna. Dr. David Brailer, the company’s chief health officer since 2022, is departing, although Cigna has not clarified whether the CHO position will continue after his exit. Additionally, Chris DeRosa, the head of business improvement and innovation, is retiring after over two decades with the company. Cigna has also announced that Katya Andresen, currently the chief digital and analytics officer, will lead the company’s efforts in excellence and transformation, focusing on customer engagement.
Industry Context and Challenges
Cigna, like many insurers, is navigating a challenging environment marked by rising healthcare costs, particularly within government programs, which are affecting payer profits. There is growing public concern regarding delays and denials of medical care, prompting Cigna to enhance consumer trust in its services. In January, the company committed to making healthcare more affordable and accessible, coinciding with a broader industry reflection on public sentiment following the tragic death of a top executive at rival UnitedHealthcare.
To better align with consumer needs, Cigna has implemented changes such as linking executive compensation to customer satisfaction, restructuring its executive team, committing to reform controversial utilization management strategies, and planning to move away from criticized rebates in its pharmacy benefits management.