Empire State Radiology Enters Multi-Year Network Agreement with Cigna to Strengthen Advanced Imaging Access Across New York
The agreement integrates ESR into Cigna’s preferred provider network, offering Cigna members a seamless pathway to ESR’s comprehensive imaging services, subspecialized clinical expertise, and patient-centered approach to care. As healthcare needs continue to evolve—particularly within radiology, where imaging technology and diagnostic capabilities advance rapidly—the collaboration aims to strengthen network stability while ensuring that patients and referring clinicians receive the highest standard of imaging care.
A Partnership Designed to Expand and Stabilize Imaging Access Across New York
Cigna’s decision to include ESR in its network reflects the shared commitment of both organizations to improve care access, affordability, and quality. With ESR now recognized as an in-network provider, Cigna members across New York will gain streamlined access to a broad suite of imaging modalities, including MRI, CT, ultrasound, X-ray, mammography, nuclear medicine, and interventional radiology procedures.
The inclusion of ESR in Cigna’s network supports:
- Increased convenience for patients seeking timely appointments at ESR’s numerous imaging locations.
- Greater clinical continuity for hospitals and physicians who rely on ESR’s subspecialized radiologists.
- Reduced out-of-pocket costs for Cigna members who can now choose ESR’s services at in-network rates.
- Long-term network reliability, ensuring stable access to advanced imaging over multiple years.
The partnership is especially impactful across regions where imaging demand continues to rise due to population growth, an aging demographic, and escalating screening needs for chronic diseases such as cancer, cardiovascular disease, and neurological conditions.
Strengthening Clinical Excellence Through National Technology and Local Expertise
As part of Radiology Partners (RP), the nation’s largest physician-led radiology practice, Empire State Radiology leverages a powerful combination of local clinical leadership and national-scale technology infrastructure. This includes access to advanced AI-enabled diagnostic tools, productivity-enhancing workflows, and subspecialty expertise across nearly all radiologic disciplines.
Through this collaboration, ESR brings several differentiated strengths to Cigna’s network:
1. Subspecialized Diagnostic Radiology
ESR’s radiologists include experts in neuroradiology, musculoskeletal imaging, body imaging, women’s imaging, nuclear medicine, and pediatric radiology. This ensures that patients receive imaging interpretations from specialists with deep knowledge of specific organs, diseases, and diagnostic pathways.
2. Advanced Interventional Radiology
Beyond diagnostic imaging, ESR provides minimally invasive procedures such as biopsies, vascular interventions, pain management injections, and image-guided treatments, helping patients access non-surgical therapeutic options close to home.
3. AI-Enabled Clinical Support
Using RP’s national technology platform, ESR incorporates artificial intelligence tools that support faster reading times, enhanced detection accuracy, and improved triage capabilities. These tools help ensure that urgent findings are escalated rapidly to care teams, improving patient outcomes.
4. Integrated Quality and Safety Programs
ESR participates in ongoing performance-improvement initiatives, peer-review programs, and clinical standardization efforts aligned with national best practices. This results in consistent, high-quality radiology services regardless of patient location.
By uniting local clinical expertise with national operating capabilities, the partnership allows ESR to deliver imaging services that are not only clinically robust but also aligned with evolving expectations for efficiency, quality, and coordinated care.
Enhancing Care for Hospitals, Physicians, and Communities
Hospitals and referring physicians rely heavily on radiology as a foundational component of diagnosis and treatment planning. ESR’s integration into Cigna’s preferred provider network reinforces the stability of imaging pathways used by clinicians across New York.
Key benefits include:
- Streamlined care coordination: Physicians can refer Cigna members to ESR without concerns about out-of-network coverage barriers.
- Faster diagnostic turnaround: AI-enabled worklists and subspecialty coverage help expedite reporting times, facilitating quicker clinical decision-making.
- Improved patient satisfaction: Patients experience more predictable scheduling, cost transparency, and continuity of care within the insurance network.
- Support for value-based care: The partnership aligns with broader healthcare trends focused on delivering high-quality care while controlling costs.
For healthcare institutions working with ESR, the agreement ensures reliable access to imaging interpretations and interventional support, even as demand for radiology services increases.
Meeting New York’s Growing Imaging Needs Through Innovation and Scale
New York’s healthcare landscape continues to undergo rapid transformation, with rising demand for early detection programs, chronic disease monitoring, and complex imaging-guided interventions. ESR’s collaboration with Cigna positions the practice to meet these needs effectively, supported by Radiology Partners’ national investments in technology, training, and clinical innovation.
Radiology Partners’ platform enables:
- Advanced analytics that help predict imaging utilization patterns
- AI-driven prioritization tools that support emergency and inpatient care
- Centralized quality monitoring ensuring consistent performance metrics
- Access to an extensive network of radiology subspecialists across the country
With these capabilities, ESR stands ready to support both routine imaging needs and high-acuity demands across diverse clinical settings.
A Continued Commitment to High-Quality, Value-Driven Radiology Care
This agreement underscores ESR’s dedication to its core mission: delivering exceptional radiology services grounded in clinical excellence, innovation, and patient-centered care. By joining Cigna’s network, ESR reinforces its long-standing role as a trusted healthcare partner for hospitals, physicians, payors, and communities throughout the region.
The multi-year relationship represents more than a contractual expansion—it is a strategic collaboration that brings long-term stability and improved access to advanced imaging services for New Yorkers.
As imaging continues to play an essential role in the diagnosis and management of nearly every major health condition, ESR and Cigna’s shared focus on quality, affordability, and accessibility will support better clinical outcomes and a stronger healthcare ecosystem for years to come.
About Empire State Radiology, P.C.
Empire State Radiology provides advanced diagnostic imaging and therapeutic interventional services across the metropolitan New York area. Its board-certified, fellowship-trained radiologists bring highly specialized expertise, utilizing state-of-the-art, low-dose technology and progressive imaging protocols. ESR proudly serves leading hospitals and numerous outpatient practices throughout the tri-state region.
About Radiology Partners
Radiology Partners, through its affiliated practices, is the leading technology-enabled radiology practice in the U.S., serving more than 3,400 hospitals and other healthcare facilities with high quality radiology, technology and artificial intelligence solutions. As a physician-led and physician-owned practice, our mission is to transform radiology by innovating across clinical value, technology, service and economics, while elevating the role of radiology and radiologists in healthcare. Using a proven healthcare services model, Radiology Partners provides consistent, high-quality care to patients, while delivering enhanced value to the hospitals, clinics, imaging centers and referring physicians we serve.
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