Cigna

I just found out that my company will be change to Cigna as of September 1st. Has anyone been approved for Cigna and for what Dr''s.

Hey, Debra! Well, there are a bunch of us here that can guide you along your CIGNA way. Are you HMO? PPO? I understand their requirements are quite similar, though you'd have to ask the PPO people for clarification. Here's what I know. (Unfortunately, this forum doesn't let us make lists... it folds paragraph breaks up into one paragrah.) 1) CIGNA has very recently changed their requirements for surgery to include two six-month supervised weight loss programs, one of which must have been in the last year. Dr. Blackstone says that the NIH told CIGNA they'd have trouble making that one stick, but they will at a minimum require one of those six-month supervised weight loss programs, and it will most likely have to be in the past year. You have to have "medical necessity" documented by a physician. Your BMI has to be 40 or higher for -- I last heard -- the past five years. Their Web site once upon a time said women had to be 80 pounds over weight, but they have deleted everything on their Web site that ever told anything about gastric bypass surgery. There may be other requirements, and they seem to change moment by moment. The GOOD news is that your doctor in Arizona is Dr. Robin P. Blackstone. She's amazing. Find out, Debra, if your company is signing a waiver of weight loss surgery benefits. Some companies are doing that with their insurance companies to cut costs. If you've got the requirements met, you should consider calling Dr. Blackstone (Scottsdale Bariatric) and getting signed up for one of her Sunday Orientations. You'll get all the info you need there. Hang in with us, okay? Patti in Tucson

Hi Debra, I have heard all of the same things that Patti said. When I talked to Becky, who is Dr. Blackstone's insurance specialist, she told me that Cigna always denies first time out, put usually approves on appeal. Good luck and welcome to the Cigna club. It's a dubious honor, but for the most part, I can't complain. Connie