Ares Benefit Group helps employers compare Cigna Open Access Plus with other group networks and funding structures that may also fit the company. Cigna's official medical-plans page describes Cigna Open Access Plus (OAP) as a large national network with out-of-network coverage, and with no primary care physician or referrals required. This page explains that official description and how we help you check a doctor in the OAP directory.
It is not tax, legal, or insurance advice, and it is not an offer of coverage. Product availability varies by location and plan type, in Cigna's own wording, and is subject to change. Cigna is not on Florida's 2026 ACA small-group list, so this page must not be read as a Florida fully insured small-group sale. We help employers compare the designs that are available for the census and the state.
Request a proposal or call (813) 540-1299. Our agents are licensed in all 50 states.What Open Access Plus is
On Cigna's group medical-plans page, OAP is listed among Cigna's "Large National Access" networks. The official at-a-glance table describes it as a large national network, with out-of-network coverage, and with no primary care physician or specialist referrals required. Cigna notes that lock-in plans are available to restrict out-of-network coverage, so a given quote may be OAP with an out-of-network benefit or a lock-in variant. The contract controls.
Cigna also describes other families on the same page, including a PPO, LocalPlus, SureFit, HMO options, and Clearity, which Cigna describes as using the OAP network with a copay-only design. Those other families are useful context. This page is about Open Access Plus.
We do not repeat Cigna's marketing comparisons of one network to another as Ares's claims, including any stated savings percentage versus OAP.
Who it is for
Cigna's small-group page is written for employers with 2 to 50 employees. Cigna also publishes medical-plan materials for larger employer segments. OAP can appear in more than one funding type — a fully insured group policy where Cigna still offers one, or a self-funded or level-funded arrangement where Cigna's official Level Funding materials say the same provider network options, including Open Access Plus, may be used. The funding type and the network are separate facts, and both have to be confirmed on the quote.
Ares's practical core remains companies with 2 to 50 employees, and we also advise mid-size and large-group employers.
State availability, including markets Cigna has addressed directly
Availability is by state and year. Cigna's current small-group employer page states that Cigna will not be offering traditional fully insured small-group plans in Georgia and Tennessee as of November 1, 2025, and that it will continue to provide coverage for Cigna small-group customers through the end of each member's active policy. The same page currently publishes 2026 and 2027 small-group plan materials for some states; Arizona is one example on the page as of this writing. The page also states that group medical plans are not available to residents of New Mexico.
That is not a complete national availability map, and we will not invent one. We will confirm the current state list, and whether the quote is fully insured, level-funded, or another funding type, on a proposal.
Cigna is not on Florida's 2026 DFS small-group ACA list. For fully insured Florida small-group coverage, start with Florida Blue, UnitedHealthcare in Florida, and AvMed. If a Florida employer is considering a Cigna network through a large-group, level-funded, or self-funded structure, that is a different conversation and must be confirmed against current rules.
How to check the official directory
Use Cigna's official directory at cigna.com/find-a-doctor. Select Open Access Plus — or the exact network name on the quote, including any lock-in variant — and search the ZIP code where the employee gets care. A LocalPlus or SureFit result does not answer an OAP question. Confirm before scheduled care. See how to check a group health plan network.
How it compares with other structures we also advise on
An OAP fully insured plan, where one is offered, sits next to a SHOP policy, a level-funded plan including Cigna Level Funding, a self-funded plan, an ICHRA, or a QSEHRA. We will put the structures that actually apply on one proposal, without publishing a typical premium or naming a winner.
Open Access Plus and a multi-state workforce
Because Cigna describes OAP as a large national network with out-of-network coverage and no referrals, it is a natural design to look at when employees live or get care in more than one state, alongside other national open-access families such as UnitedHealthcare Choice Plus. The official directory still has to be searched for each care location, and the state still has to offer the product in the funding type you are quoting. See multi-state employees. A local network such as LocalPlus can remain the better match when the workforce is concentrated in one Cigna LocalPlus service area.
What we need for a proposal
We need a census, the worksite states, the current plan or funding type, and the renewal date. We will confirm whether OAP, LocalPlus, or another Cigna family is being quoted, and in which funding type.
Request a proposal or call (813) 540-1299.Frequently asked questions
Do employees need a referral on Open Access Plus?
No. Cigna's official medical-plans table says no primary care physician and no specialist referrals are required on OAP. The contract still controls.
How is OAP different from LocalPlus?
Cigna describes OAP as a large national network and LocalPlus as a local, limited network that still offers out-of-network coverage for temporary relocation. Neither requires a primary care physician or referrals, in Cigna's table. See Cigna LocalPlus.
Is Cigna small-group coverage available in our state?
It depends on the state and the plan year, and on whether the quote is a traditional fully insured small-group plan or another funding type. We will confirm from current Cigna materials rather than from a generic map.
What did Cigna announce for Georgia and Tennessee fully insured small group?
Cigna's current small-group page says it will not be offering traditional fully insured small-group plans in Georgia and Tennessee as of November 1, 2025, and that coverage continues through the end of each member's active policy.
If Cigna is not on our state's fully insured small-group list, what other options might still exist?
Sometimes a large-group policy, a level-funded plan, or a self-funded plan with a Cigna network can still be quoted. That is a current-rules question. For Florida, Cigna is not on the 2026 ACA small-group list; fully insured small-group starting points are Florida Blue, UnitedHealthcare, and AvMed.
How do we verify a hospital in the OAP directory?
Use Cigna's official find-a-doctor tool with Open Access Plus (or the exact name on the quote) selected, and confirm before care.
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