BREAKING: Cigna just shut down its Take Control Rewards program, effective January 1, 2026. Members who logged in today are finding their point balances gone. My reporting confirms there was no advance notice and no grace period. Recent emails still urged members to earn more points, which deepens today’s shock and confusion.
What changed overnight
Take Control Rewards paid members for healthy tasks. People earned points for screenings, steps, coaching, and preventive care. Points could be redeemed for gift cards and other wellness purchases. As of New Year’s Day, the program menu is blank. Accrued points are not visible, and redemptions are closed.
This is not a small perk. Many balances were worth real money. That money often helped families buy over the counter meds, pay for gym fees, or offset copays. Losing it in an instant is more than frustrating. It can change how people access care this month.
Cigna ended Take Control Rewards on January 1, 2026, without prior member notice or a redemption window.
Why this matters for your health
Rewards programs are not fluff. They steer people toward screenings and early care. They help cover small but important costs. When that help disappears, people delay appointments. They split pills. They skip therapy. Those choices have real health risks.
Medication and care adherence
Cost is a top reason people miss doses and visits. Even a small monthly cushion can keep blood pressure in range and blood sugar steady. When support vanishes, adherence drops. That raises risks for stroke, heart attack, and diabetic complications.
Stress and mental health
Sudden financial loss triggers stress. Stress spikes blood pressure and strains sleep. It can worsen migraines, IBS, and anxiety. If you planned redemptions for January, build a fast plan now to protect your routines.
Call your pharmacy and doctor to ask about 90-day fills, generics, and copay cards. These options can bridge you through January.
The strategy behind the shock
This move lands as Cigna reshapes its business. The company sold its Medicare Advantage, Part D, Supplemental Benefits, and CareAllies units in early 2025. It is refocusing on employer plans and health services under Evernorth, which includes Express Scripts.
Express Scripts is moving to a rebate-free pricing model. The goal is simple pricing at the counter, fewer back-end deals, and more clarity. That push can reduce hidden costs, but it also squeezes pharmacy margins in the near term. Cigna highlighted strong earnings in 2025 and reaffirmed an adjusted earnings per share target of at least 29.60 dollars. The company is betting on transparency and scale. But consumer trust must keep pace with financial targets.
Ending a wellness reward without warning undercuts trust. It sends a message that member-facing promises are flexible. Employers and regulators will notice. So will any family that counted on those credits to stay on track with care.
What members can do right now
Act quickly, and document everything. If your family depends on monthly help for meds or supplies, do not wait.
- Take screenshots of your last known points and any 2025 emails about earning.
- Contact your employer HR or benefits admin today. Ask for a make-good credit or alternative benefit.
- Call Cigna member services and request an appeal, a one-time exception, or a statement credit.
- If denied, file a complaint with your state insurance department and note the lack of notice.
- Ask your doctor, pharmacy, or care manager for lower cost options to bridge the month.
Do not skip essential meds. Ask your clinician about temporary samples, manufacturer programs, or a dose plan that protects you.
What to watch next
Will Cigna offer a redemption window or restore balances, even partly, for January? Employers who buy Cigna plans can push for it. Regulators may also review sudden benefit changes that affect access to care. Expect tough questions about why members were urged to earn points late in 2025, then left with zero on January 1.
The bigger test is trust. Cigna’s pivot to pricing transparency is a welcome goal. People want prices that make sense at the counter. But transparency is not only about dollars, it is also about communication. Ending a health incentive with no warning undercuts healthy habits that plans say they value.
In the meantime, protect your health. Keep your appointments. Call your care team before you cut doses or cancel therapy. If money is tight this month, ask for help. There are safe, lower cost paths to stay on treatment while this gets sorted.
Conclusion: Today’s shutdown is a case study in how corporate strategy meets real life. Benefits that support healthy behavior must be reliable to work. Cigna chose speed over notice. Members now carry the risk. I will keep pressing for answers, and for a fix that puts health first.
