Question:
Cigna PPO will I be approved?
285 lbs 46 bmi. Co-morbids- sleep apnea,asthma,joint pain, depression. I do not have a 5 year history of diets. I have heard that Cigna requires that. The sleep apnea was just diagnosed in July 02. Any thoughts??? — daytymer (posted on November 2, 2002)
November 2, 2002
I too have Cigna PPO .. they did not regqire a 5 year diet
history ..Im in Columbia SC
— ruthie
November 2, 2002
It depends on the particular company you work for. While, I have known
several people with Cigna PPO who have been approved for surgery with no
problems, my particualr company has an exclusion in the Cigna PPO policy
for weight loss surgery. Make sure you read your policy in depth.
— Stephanie H.
November 2, 2002
I was told by my case manager for CIGNA PPO that even though this is a
nationally-based provider, benefits vary from company to company and state
to state. My CIGNA PPO in NC covered not only my out-of-state lap RNY and
paid in-network benefits, but also approved my panniculectomy AND
brachioplasty, no questions asked. I was not asked to provide diet
history, nutritional consult, nor psych eval. They approved in each case
with only a letter of medical necessity from the bariatric surgeon, and
then from the plastic surgeon. They paid promptly and were a dream to work
with. I wish you the same great experience!
— Diana T.
November 2, 2002
It is true - every Cigna plan is different. The people I know and heard of
that has sleep apnea was approved. Although some still had to fight for it
and some were approved with no trouble. It just depends on your paticular
plan. I had to have a 5 year doctor notes of having a BMI of over 40. And
only 3 PAST diet plans with 1 within the last year. Hope that helps.
— Debbie W.
November 2, 2002
WITH CIGNA ALL YOU NEED IS THREE ATTEMPS AT SUPERVISED DIET PLAN IN THE
PAST 5 YEARS AND ONE HAS TO BE RECENTLY. THEY HAVE TO AT LEAST LAST FOR 8
TO 12 WEEKS. yOU CAN TYPE UP YOUR PERSONAL EXPERIENCES WITH DIETING
YOURSELF LIKE WHAT TYPE OF DIETS DID YOU TRY. WHAT WAS THE OUTCOME WHAT
KEPT YOU FROM NOT LOSING THE WEIGHT THEY LIKE A GENERAL PERSONAL HISTORY OF
YOU AND FAMILY RELATED ILLNESS HISTORY. tHEY DO READ THIS STUFF TRUST ME i
HAVE VERY FEW CO-MORBS LIKE YOU AND AM HAVING SURGERY TOMMOROW MORNING.
THEY ARE VERY STRICT ABOUT BEING SURE THE RIGHT CANDIDATE. mY CO-MORBS
WHERE HITAL HERNIA, GASTRIC REFLUX DISEASE, ASTHMA , INLARGED HEART
MUSCLES DUE TO PRESSURE FROM HERNIA, i JOINED WEIGHT WATCHERS WHILE I WAS
WAITING FOR INSURANCE TO RESPOND WHICH WAS A GOOD THING IT HELPED ME GET
MOVITATED TO LOSE MY FIRST 10% BEFORE SURGERY. i WENT FROM BMI 44 TO 40 AND
NOW AM GOING TO HAVE SURGERY 04-NOV-2002. ANY WAYS YOU CAN TRY THAT WHILE
YOUR WAITING NO ONE ASKS YOU TO BE ULTIMATLY SUCCESSFULL ON IT BUT IT DOES
HELP GET IN SUPERVISED DIET. aM SURE YOU DO HAVE A DIET HISTORY IT DOES
HAVE TO BE DOCUMENTED BY A DOCTOR YOU CAN WRITE UP YOURSELF AND SEND IT IN
THAT IT. bUT YOU STILL NEES 3 SUPERVISED DIETS SUPERVISED BY DOCTOR OR
PERSONAL TRAINER OR COMMERCIAL WEIGHT LOSS CENTER OR DIETICIAN. IT CAN BE
ANY OF THESE. HOPE i HELPED SHERI BURKE
— sheri B.
November 2, 2002
Every Cigna plan is different. However, I have Cigna PPO and had tried
many diets and only one or two were actually Dr. supervised. My co-morbs
were PCOS, diabetes, depression, joint pain, back pain. I had no problems
getting approval. I was approved within a week. :) Good luck and God
bless! Hugs!
— Rebekah A.
November 3, 2002
Cigna PPO and Cigna HMO are two totally seperate things. With Cigna PPO you
DON'T need 5 years of diet history. Cigna PPO is alot better than HMO at
approving this surgery I have found. They don't request as much information
as an HMO plan. With your bmi and sleep apnea you should be approved I
would think.
— blank first name B.
November 3, 2002
Like they say, each Cigna plan is different depending on what options the
employer buys. I am on Cigna PPO and was approved without significant
medical history. They accepted an affidavit from me explaining that I had
tried every diet at home that I could but that I could not afford to go to
places you needed to pay. I was approved after they received that.
— Nell C.
November 3, 2002
I have Cigna PPO and was approved upon the first request. Good luck!
— Janice P.
November 4, 2002
Cigna PPO verbally approved me in 24 hours and my info was nearly identical
to yours. Just make sure you follow through to get your approval in
writing - it took me 5-6 weeks to get that wonderful piece of paper saying
YOU'RE APPROVED! By the way, the plan my employer signed up for
automatically rejects anything for morbid obesity or weight loss and I was
still approved in 24 hours. Good luck!
— Christina W.
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