Question:
I WAS DENIED BY CIGNA HMO(SOUTH FLORIDA) DUE TO DIET HISTORY. I HAVE BEEN UNDER A

DOCTORS CARE FOR 20 WKS AND I HAVE 6 MORE WEEKS TO GO BEFORE I CAN APPEAL. CAN ANYONE TELL ME HOW TO WORD THE APPEAL LETTER. DO I SEND IT OR DOES THE SURGEON? I KNOW I SOUND DESPERATE BUT THAT IS BECAUSE I AM.    — barbara M. (posted on January 20, 2004)

January 20, 2004
I had the same thing happen to me. I asked my PCP to write a letter for my appeal to go with the one that I wrote myself, but he misunderstood and sent his letter to Cigna before I sent mine and it worked. He jkust wrote that I had been on a supervised diet and told my weights during that six mo nth period and said that it was in my "medical best interest" to have this surgery. After that they approved me in 2 days. I never got a chance to send my letter in, so I suggest that along with your letter, you add a letter from your PCP. Good luck!
   — lmaxwell

January 20, 2004
I had a similar thing happen when Cigna's requirement was 3, 12-week physician supervised diets, one of which had to be in the last year. I finished my 12 weeks after having been denied and I got my doctor's documentation and wrote a letter basically reiterating my health problems, how my weight was affecting the quality of my life and re-submitted. I was approved within another month. Be patient but persistent. Cigna is slow as can imagine.
   — Cathy S.

January 20, 2004
we have a group on Yahoo...called cignassqueakywheels...we have had many approved and it is a source of info and support. cigna sucks no 2 ways about that. lots of sample letters there as well.
   — jellyin