30 business days for approvals???

Seriously... CIGNA just told me on the phone that approvals can take up to 30 business days.
If I EVER Told one of my customers that it might take 30 business days for a turn around I'd be told to pack my **** up.

I just find this turn around time amusing... I think Rebate processing centers have faster turn arounds.


I've been told people normally know within 2 weeks... bu****ch my luck be that I'm one of the 30 business day folks :-(

Tony, I have Aetna and they told me it could take 3 weeks. It only took 5 days. I think they are covering all bases. I can't imagine it will take that long. Best of luck on a speedy approval. -- Tom

My surgeon's office told me that approval could up to 30 days too... I thought I might keel over if I had to wait 30 days after going through a six month supervised diet as well.  Luckily, my approval took about 3.5 days.  Everyone I've talked to that has been approved first go around go their approval in two weeks or less. 

Also as someone who got their approval last week and is scheduled for surgery on 2/17... try to just enjoy this time... Once approval comes everything goes very very fast!!!!

I've had the same problem with Cigna.  Told me 30 business days.  Heck, it took 13 days for them to scan it into the computer for starters.  Once it's scanned in the computer appears to be when the 30 days starts. 

Then I called nearly everyday and there was NO MOVEMENT by case management until the nice customer service rep printed a hard copy and faxed it to case management. 

Good luck!
-TS

I was told yesterday morning at 9:30 it could take 30 days and to try calling back in 2 weeks by BCBS of IL.  My Dr. called at noon and said that I had an approval.  So, I would just keep calling your insurance company.  I called everyday and they were very good about checking the status for me.  Even if they just say it's in review, they make note of the fact you called on your chart.  Sometimes that gets the process going because they know you aren't giving up.  That is what the lady told me today anyway. Hope that helps.

I have Cigna too... It took about 3 days for the paperwork to be scanned (faxed in on Thursday in system by Tuesday); then 2 days (Friday) for the first denial due to missing documents. My doctors office faxed in the paperwork the next Monday and by Friday I had an approval. I did call everyday. I took the rep's name and any other identifing information they would give me, time we spoke and status of authorization. Approved in 11 business days isnt too bad.

I called to find out about short term disability and they didn't even show anything in the system for me.  They did however say that the approvals are done by a totally different company and they normally don't send down theinformation to the main cigna system until there's an approval or denial.  A friend of mine who works with me sent her paperwork in and in less than a week it showed up in the system, but as a denial due to paperwork missing.  So maybe no news is good news