If you want to file an official complaint against your insurance company...

What I did after CIGNA viciously denied me was file a complaint with the New York Department of Health's Office of Managed Care...I am sure that every state has this or a state medical commisioner, which can easily be looked up on-line...They asked me some brief questions, and all I have to do now is get some requested paperwork together and fax it to them-it's that easy...I am hoping that at least some sort of investigation will come out of this...There are no words for how angry and disgusted at how I was treated by CIGNA, even before putting in a request for surgery...And, I also will not let this go-I was treated very poorly, so if you feel the same way, this might just give you a little relief...

Andrea I'm with you. Cigna does treat their clients very poorly and I'm going to look into turning them in also. I can't believe an insurance co. can get away with their actions toward us...I believe it's discrimination all the way. and I don't believe I fall under the new criteria they want...2 26 week diets documented...as my paperwork was in their computer on March 31 of this yr...what do you think???

Hello Andrea and Karen, Im in the same boat. Sucky CIGNA has denied me twice also. The first time I submitted (4-4-03)for approval I NEVER received a denial letter. All they would tell me over the phone is that it was do to lack of medical necessity. They would not give me the details of why. I called and called to get the letter but still nothing. So I filed an appeal(4-23-03) anyway, and of course denied(5-15-03) for the same reason. This time I received a letter(5-18-03). It said "Cigna is unable to approve the gastric bypass procedure due to lack of established medical necessity. There is no indication that medical treatment has failed with respect to any of these co-morbity, such as psych clearance, weight loss program, and adequate diagnosis and management of sleep apnea program". HUH!! those idiots obviously cant read to well in reguards to weight loss program. I was told not to have the psych eval till I was approved and didnt think I had sleep apnea. Sooooo I went to my PCP, got a referral for a sleep study and went and got me psych eval. I was getting ready to submit for my 2nd appeal when I received my denial (6-17-03)letter from the very first time I submitted for approval. That was the one that informed me of the 6mo diet crap. Never did it say anywhere in my other denial anything about 6mo of dieting!! I am sooooo fickin mad. CIGNA discriminates, poor customer service, flat out refused me my written policy text on WLS, the left hand doesnt know what the right hand is doing with this Co. and we suffer for it. Something has to be done with them. And yes I am going to my state medical commissioner.