Cigna in IL - How hard was it to get approved?

Also, which Cigna plan did you have to get WLS covered?

if you have any information, please let me know. THX!

My husband had Cigna POS via his retiree benefits back in 2003 and was denied because he did not have the 6 month doctor supervised diets trys. NOW, we kept asking them over and over again what does he need to do to have surgery and they kept saying for him to be medically necessary blah, blah, blah which he was with a BMI of well over 55. He was approved on paper as the surgery being medically necessary then at the last minute turned around and said DENIED!. Cigna stinks in my opinion.

Fortunately for us he is covered under my BCBS of IL PPO and he has his surgery with my insurance.

edited to add that my DH needed WLS "yesterday" when he was going for his surgery. He could not wait and go through what they were saying he had to do because he would have been dead by then.

 I have Cigna PPO through the State of Illinois Employees group   I found that if you call them and ask them to send you IN WRITING the current policy requirements for surgery, and meet those requirements, then you will get your approval.  I was denied my first time (typical CIGNA) for not having all the required paper work (cough, cough)  but upon appeal, was approved.  

With Cigna, the big thing is following their requirements and to appeal.  They expect you to roll over and play day at the first denial.  Whenever I have appealed, I have never been denied.  

I have Cigna PPO and had no problem at all.  What helped is that my PCP wrote a letter about my struggles with trying to loose weight, and what his fears were if I did not have the surgery.  I was approved in 3 days.

Jewlz

My partner and I both had Cigna through the State of IL. We were denied first and then approved after a doc to doc consultation. We did have to do the six month pre diet with a doc and have the doc write the notes exactly as Cigna required. Not really a big deal. Just hoops to jump through.

Connie