Question:
Anyone using Cigna now?

AM about to try to get approval through CIGNA. What tips can anyone provide to me to help move this along?    — chewy248 (posted on July 20, 2004)

July 20, 2004
Make sure you have all your ducks in a row. Last I heard, Cigna requires 2 26-week physician supervised diet attempts, one of which must have been in the last 12 mos. If you do not have this, get started now. If you have it make sure it's included in your package that goes to Cigna for approval. Make sure your medical records are complete and all your co-morbidities documented and that they get this too. Then persistence, persistence, persistence. Get names of everyone at Cigna you speak with and keep calling--and most of all don't get discouraged. It took me from Jan 2002 til June to get my approval, but it did come.
   — Cathy S.

July 20, 2004
First off, I wish you well. I'm not going sugar-coat this, or to lie to you, Cigna is PURE hell. I don't say this to bring you down, I say this only so that you educate yourself, and be ready for a battle. (SEE MY PROFILE) Call them, ask them to mail or fax WHAT their requirements are. (They change like people change their underwear, TRUST ME) Document (keep a notebook, you'll need it) every time, date the name of the person that you talked to, and what the call was regarding. I was denied ALL 3 times by Cigna, for supposedly NOT having my required 6 months (at that time) of weigh in's, which I HAD and so did they! (it was ALL included in the indexed/labeled 42 pages that were both faxed AND mailed!) I was also denied for not having a Pysch eval, which was also crap, as Dr. Blackstone required THAT before I could even see her. That too, was included in all that paperwork! I have never experienced more stress or anger in ALL my life. Working with Cigna SUCKED, but no WAY was I giving up or going away...NOR should YOU, no matter what! I played by THEIR stupids rules for eight LONG months, and BY GOD, I was GETTING this approved come hell or high water! Each time that I called my "buddy" <insert sarcasm here> Ron, @ Cigna Nat'l Appeals, I would literally say to him "I AM NOT GIVING UP, OR GOING AWAY". From there, I enlisted the help of every politician in AZ. I got some add'l help from Senator Kyle's office, who offered to forward my info to the Dept. of Labor in DC for a possible approval, but ultimatly, it was my husbands employer, who was self-funded, (A GOOD THING) that stepped up to the plate, and as luck would have it, happened to be meeting with a higher up CIGNA rep there @ their corporate location, the day my 50+ pages of info (by this time) was faxed to them. 2 days later, I was approved! I'm now almost 9 months post op, down 75+ pounds with maybe 20 to go, and LOVIN' LIFE! If I can beat them, SO CAN YOU! Feel free to e-mail! GOOD LUCK!!!
   — [Deactivated Member]

July 22, 2004
I ALSO HAVE CIGNA PPO. I WAS DENIED FIRST GO AROUND DUE TO THE 26 WK SUPERVISED DIET FROM A PHYSICIAN WHO DOESN'T PERFORM WT. LOSS SURGERY. THE ALSO WANT PROOF THAT MY BMI HAS BEEN OVER 40 FOR AT LEAST 1 YR. I HAVE CIGNA PPO AND WAS ONLY REQUIED TO HAVE 1 26 WK. DIET, UNSURE ABOUT OTHER POLICIES FROM WHAT I HEAR EVERYONE IS DIFFERENT. A COUPLE DAYS AGO SENT MY APPEAL IN HOPING TO HEAR IN A COUPLE OF WKS. I KNOW IF I'M DENIED AGAIN I WILL HIRE AN ATTORNEY. SHEILA
   — Sheila B.