Cigna

[Jen Jen]

In two months, I will be eligable for health insurance, the only provider my employer offers is Cigna. I've not had any experience with Cigna, nor know anyone that has. I'm just kind of wondering how they will be when it comes to covering my supplies and such, and whether they are a fair company. Please, someone with Cigna, share some of your experiences with them, good and bad, or just how you feel about them in general.

[BrendaK]

We've had fairly good experience with CIGNA PPO. They normally pay everything very promptly and fairly. Occasionally we have had problems with them running things through out-of-network when it's really in-network or they will charge a specialist dr's copay instead of a regular doctor's copay. But, as long as I call about it, they always rebill it correctly and quickly.

Their website is good, too, to find which doctors are in the network. And we've had good experience with the mail order pharmacy.

That said, we also have Children's special health care services in Michigan that covers all diabetic supplies that aren't covered by insurance. Carson was pumping before we got on Cigna, so we didn't have to deal with pump coverage. I have heard of some that have had problems with Cigna and pump coverage. But with our plan with Cigna, they cover durable medical equipment at 100% with no limits, so there have been no problems with pump supplies.

I'm wondering if they'll ever cover the CMGS -- we haven't tried yet with them.

[bkfkmc]

I'm sure it depends on your plan, but our experience has been o.k. Our MM pump was approved quickly and without any problems. Our pump supplies are covered under DME at 100% and have had no problems with that. They have balked at our test strips. After haggling with them they agreed to cover 10 per day. Unfortunately I have to call and ask them to approve 10 per day each time I have the prescription refilled. Fortunately, I get a 3 month supply each time (with only a 1 month co-pay). The jury is still out on CGMS. There was some confusion and some of the paperwork didn't go through together. I received a denial, but they are reviewing it again all together. This process has taken a long time. They are really dragging their heals on this one. I don't expect that they will approve it and I will have to appeal. Anyway, overall Cigna has been o.k.

[Mama Belle]

We've had much better luck with Cigna than we did with United Healthcare. With Cigna our pump and supplies are covered 100% under DME (UHC only paid for like 80% of pump and supplies). We also have had the issue of them automatically denying coverage of 300 test strips per month. But the override process with that has seemed much better than it was with UHC. The one thing that really bugs me is that Cigna doesn't cover blood ketone strips. But overall that is pretty minor.

[wiccanshadows89]

cignas alright, mostly, but they like to change their mind. something is covered one week, the next is not and then it was a clerical error

[Nancy in VA]

We have CIGNA. What they cover will be based on your plan.

But, we are with the HMO and the pump and supplies are covered 100%.

I have found that they do like the play the game of "deny first, cover later" so I have found I have to be persistent. They denied my blood ketone strips several times before I realized that the pharmacy dept said it was DME and the DME dept said it was pharmacy. Once I got them both on the phone at the same time and got them agree who would cover it, it was fine.

[CDoyle1013]

Interesting posts. I have Cigna. My employer changed from United to Cigna. I hate Cigna. For example. I don't have vision coverage. However, because mydaughter has diabetes, her exam, including eye scan IS covered so long as a doctor is examining her. I called to confirm this. My eye doctor called to confirm this. I got denied after the exam. Had to go through many phone calls until I finally got reimbursed. Second, on our Cigna policy, my daughter's pump supplies are subject to a 500 deductible (insets, cartridges, etc). Insulin, numbing cream, sticks are 30 a prescription. I pay 500 per month and still fork out about 200 in diabetes supplies and copays and doctor's copays...that is 700 per month for just medical in our budget. I have had to appeal CIGNA denials on a greater frequency than I ever did with United. I wish our employer would go back to United Health.

[wiccanshadows89]

My mom has cigna HMO and they dont pay for anything...she also hates them, and she works for them...

[momto2]

This was our first year on Cigna Open Access Plus (and our last) but they have been WONDERFUL in covering all of our daughter's supplies. I think it costs us about $20 per month out of pocket total.

We did have some problems with how they paid her endocrinologist the first time - they thought he was still "in network"...he wasn't - they barely paid him anything -and were willing to write it off...we went to bat for the doctor and made Cigna acknowledge that they were out of network...sure enough, once the computer caught up to their own change (only 4 months too late) they paid him at 80% like they were supposed to. We think because of our efforts, the doctor wrote off the rest because we never got billed for that first visit after our initial bill from them.

Cigna is too expensive for us to stick with next year...we are looking at UNITED CHOICE PLUS PPO -- anyone with experience with that kind?