Cigna International
Reviews and Complaints

my name is Manuel Torres I pay my short term disability insurance for 13 years and never use it, on may 19 2017, I have health issues and end up in the emergency room, due to my health issues I was disable by my doctor for 4 weeks and follow up with a specialist, Cigna ask for information from my doctor, and the documentation was send out to cigna, I call and call and always was under review or need more information, today is September 20 2017, and my case still under review.

I am 78 years old widow living on my widow pension. With my little money this year March I purchased health insurance policy from Cignattk. Before approving the policy the company tested all my health parameters and could not find any abnormality. Since I was not suffering from any disease, I have not declared anything. I paid Rs 25000/- for the premium and the policy was issued. But suddenly in July, I became sick with blood pressure went upto 240 level. So as per doctor advice, I admitted to a local hospital. Since the hospital was registered under cashless category with Cignattk, I told the hospital to claim cashless authorization. The hospital was very reluctant to accept cashless arrangement primarily due to delay in payment by insurance and also their payment will come under tax net. Still due to my insistence they filled up the authorization form and sent to Cigna-ttk. Next day Cigna-ttk wanted some more details of the disease. That time I was very sick, so I signed the documents brought by the hospital to be sent to insurance. Later Cigna-ttk reject the cashless claim by saying that my disease is pre-exiting as it was written in the second set of documents(signed by me in good faith) that I was suffering for last one year, when it was totally false. I feel Cigna-ttk has some tacit understanding with their registered hospital to dupe the patients like this so that they need to pay the claim. Due to this rejection, I had to pay Rs.8000/- as my hospital bill and Cigna-ttk didn't pay a single paise.

I warn the public not to buy policy of this fraud company and cheated like me.

I received services in June and July 2016. I started calling CWI Benefits who pays claims for Cigna. I started calling the beginning of July to keep on top of the process. I was told two to four weeks. I called again the end of July and was told my dentist never submitted the claims. I called my dentist, which I have never had a problem with submitting claims, and was told that they had submitted them the day of or the day after the claims. I had to call CWI back and verify. I had to call and have my dentist submit claims four times before CWI would admit to receiving the paperwork. Then CWI claims they electronically paid my dentist without even verifying my dentist takes electronic payments. I called my dentist and they tell me they were never paid electronically by CWI benefits. I told CWI benefits every time I called that I paid the dentist in full the date of the services and that my dentist is not part of their network and they should not be paying the dentist. CWI is trying to state that my dentist office submitted my claims and checked the box that elects the dentist to get the payment. I called my dentist office and they tell me that they never do that and did not do that with my claim. I called CWI back and asked that my case be referred to a Supervisor. They sent my claims to a Supervisor that was on vacation for a week and no one else could review. This nonsense has been going on for weeks and I still have no payment. I called and emailed my HR department and filed complaints. At first they ignored my complaints but then emailed me this week and told me they were going to escalate the issue

About 4 years ago I was diagnosed with degenerative disc desease and underwent a disc fusion. At the time I was approved for long term disability benefits through Cigna as I was expected to recover and return to work soon. Unfortunately the strain from the disc fusion caused 4 other discs to bulg and press against my nerve root. So my condition after healing from my surgery was actually much worse than before. However, Cigna informed me that I could return to work. I appealed my decision and won. Cigna agreed that I met the contract definition of disabled.
Two years go by and Cigna does what they call an "any occupation review". Basically after two years of disability if I can perform the job functions of any occupation which pays me 80% of my former salary I am no longer disabled. Cigna can't find me any other jobs I can do but they decide I can now go back to my old job. Now it's important to understand that my condition is not operable and I have been on long term pain management only. I appeal their decision and win. Cigna agrees that yes I am still disabled.
Two more years go by and I am still on long term pain management. I have not had any surgeries, physical therapy, or taken any medications that had any chance of changing my underlying medical condition. However, Cigna has yet again told me that my condition has improved to the point that I can return to work. I am appealing yet again.
Cigna does not care about the facts, your medical condition, your mental or financial stability or that returning to work could place your health or even your life at risk. The only thing Cigna cares about is denying as many claims as possible to boost their bottom line.
If your company offers Cigna insurance urge them to switch. If you have Cigna insurance take further steps to protect your family. If you are, like me, fighting Cigna right now then I suggest you pray - it's your only hope.

Have started receiving these continual and very annoying ROBO calls from Cigna which is our carrier. The current # they come from is [protected] (Colorado). The female voice states they need to talk to an authorized person and they sound serious and official compelling you to think you should respond. I finally did. You have to key in your birth date so that they know you are authorized to speak with them - then they begin to ask you ALL sorts of automated questions about your health under the guise of trying to help you hook up with a doctor and keep you in good health. They keep assuring you that your answers will be kept "confidential" and will not affect your coverage. I have NOT made it through a whole survey as it is tedious, personal, extensive, invasive, unwanted, and unneeded! But if you hang up, they will keep calling back! I called and complained today to 3 departments (billing/enrollment, benefits and claims, and customer/consumer service - which could only be reached by the other departments. Customer Service was the only department half way acknowledging anything saying they thought it could be from their "home delivery" which was related to prescriptions and we do NOT have any prescriptions (now or ever) and the calls were not related to that. Other than that, they all passed the buck saying that it wasn't coming from their department so they couldn't do anything about it (except remove us from any "home delivery" related calls).
I hopefully made it loud and clear that if we needed any help or advice or wanted to share our health conditions, we were fully capable of calling them. This unwelcome invasion into our time, privacy and choices is VERY maddening and annoying. We have never had this problem before with an insurance company abusing our phone number - and FYI, in all the automated stuff there is NOTHING to hit or say to stop the calls. (Oh and they come at all hours!)

I was denied short term disability the first time, plus two appeals.I gave all the info they requested.They still said the statement from my Dr was overruled by their NURSE, seriously ?I've tried since May 2015 until January 2016.I guess I should thank my employer SEARS for having Cigna .It's a shame the Goverment lets them get away with it. Check Cigna's ratings, guess you get 1 star for a reason...O wait they won't let you rate below 1 star.I wish everyone at Cigna all the worst in life!

Called the Cigna information line concerning the jump in my copay for Testim testosterone cream. After spending 20+ minutes on the phone with Angela - it was determined that if I switch to Androderm - my copay would be 30.12. I called my doctor - GOT AN APPOINTMENT - PAYED THAT CO-PAY and got that script called in. After all this - I show up at the pharmacy - CO-PAY IS STILL 50.00. When I spent ANOTHER 20+ minutes on the phone, it was determined that Angela was either misinformed or incompetent. Now, after almost 14 days - the pharmacist and the CIGNA rep on the phone refused to talk to each other - WTF?!?
So, the CIGNA rep told me "Testosterone" was a generic and would be 10.00. When I told the pharmacist - he gave me the NDC number - when I told the number to the CIGNA rep - THEY DIDN'T MATCH!
So the pharmacist told me to look up the manufacturer for androgel (the NEW med) or Testim (the OLD med) and get a manufacturer coupon - did this before and the pharmacy told my wife that is only for people WITHOUT insurance - when I relayed that to the pharmacist in front of me - he told me to use ONLY THE MANUFACTUER COUPON.
So, I am back home - on the computer - after ANOTHER WASTED TRIP taking MORE TIME to deal with this circus.
What a joke - what a way to add more layers of garbage - and create more animosity and less service . . . .
So, in a phrase - CIGNA can suck it . . . .
Robb Rogers

I would first and foremost like to say that I do take some of the responsibility in what transpired between myself and Cigna Dental. It has taken me several months to have time to write this review, and we still are Cigna customers for the simple fact that it wouldn't make since for us to drop them YET. My husband and our family became cigna customers at the end of 2012 through his work. In January of 2014, his company was suddenly bought out by another company who's benefits did not compare, and actually qualified us to use the Healthcare Marketplace. After the disaster of trying to get enrolled, we finally got Cigna Dental again that started on April 1st. Let me say, that even though we paid for our Dental Benefits for over a year with his old company, we never even filed a claim because my husband hates doctors and I have near perfect oral health. Moving on... I finally talk my husband into visiting dentist because I KNOW he has procedures that he needs done. They made my husband a care plan that was lengthy and expensive. They showed us what we would be responsible for and what my insurance would pay, and how the dentist got those numbers except from the insurance is beyond my knowledge.However, it showed the insurance company paying all but 20% of the cost. The receptionist asked if we had a waiting period, and I said that I did not know. She told me that she would call and find out for me, and I said I would look into it as well. I logged onto my cigna account, and I could find my deductible, coverage limits, definitions.. everything EXCEPT any information about a waiting period on my policy. (BTW I went back and took screenshots of every webpage of their website related to my policy). I also went back to look at the original packet they sent me. The only thing it had in it was basic definitions, and directives to visit the website, which I also still have. I called and asked for my benefits booklet because obviously that couldn't be it with so little information (which is actually pretty much how the 2015 booklet is too) . In the next week, I received the same booklet that I already had. So I had found no information about my specific waiting period yet. In the next couple of days, the receptionist calls us and tell me that "she spoke to somone, but he was hard to understand because he was a foreigner". She said that he told her we only had a 12 month waiting period on major. So we scheduled my husband's fillings, and paid our 20% that same day to the dentist. In the next couple of weeks, our receptionist called to tell us the unfortunate news that they did not cover his fillings because of an apparent basic waiting period. I called Cigna, and tried to talk to a representative. I asked her why they had waiting periods, and she said so that people would not sign up, get major work done and then stop paying their bills, which is understandable. (I also recorded these conversations). I then told her what had happened, and offered to pay the policy in full if they would pay the claim. She said that was impossible. I then made the point that we were technically not new customers, and she went back and looked, and told me that they considered us a new customer because it had been more than a 60 day lapse in coverage. I went back and counted, and our lapse (which was a little beyond our control) was 67 days. My husband did not develop cavities in 7 days, and we would have waited the 2 months to go to the dentist if we had known there was a waiting period for basic. I then mentioned the call, which she said they only used for training and couldn't pull back up, which is BULL. I worked for a very reputable P&C insurance company, and EVERY call was recorded and could be pulled up if needed. She even went as far as too say that there were no notes made of a call in my file. I then asked if there had bene anyone in my account on ( specific date), and then she finally said "Oh yeah it looks like a Rebecca called in to verify benefits, but the call was dropped." Sure, since you already lied. I then asked to speak to a manager, and she absolutely did not want me to. She tried to say no one could do anything for me and that a manager would tell me the same thing. It was almost as if she thought that claim money was coming directly out of her pocket. They manager however was very helpful and gave me the resources to file and appeal. I filed two appeals, basically making all the points I have made here and then some. The second appeal I specifically asked what was said between their representative and the receptionist, because if the receptionist had lied, I wanted to know. The last appeal denial which came from a Sandy H., said "Please be advised that verifying benefits verbally is not a guarantee of benefits." This leads me to believe that the receptionist was in fact telling the truth, and it alsos brings about the question of how do we trust a company as a whole, when they are basically saying you can't trust our representatives? Also, why was it so hard for me to find any information about a waiting period? Is it because they are kind of tricking people into paying for some of their procedures out of pocket before their benefits kick in? So to sum it up my husband had to pay in total over $500 out of pocket for fillings that could have waited another 2 months, and we will be leaving the company for good, but only after he finishes getting all of his work done. They are losing a potential life long customer (we are in our mid 20s) over a paying a claim that is decimals to them.

For the last 3 months I have been battling this horrible company to approve my short term disability claim. I was taken out of work by my Dr. due to a back injury that is chronic in nature. I also am diagnosed with depression which can be very severe in episodes and very debilitating. On 8/21/13 I took this leave and since returned to work on 10/21 because my claims were denied. I had no other choice...go back to work or lose my home despite the circumstances. I was shuffled from person to person at Cigna and all they basically did was bury me in paperwork and never once did they actually speak to my Dr. I appealed the decision only to find out today it had been denied as well. The company's motto is: "To help the people we serve improve their health, well-being and security." This couldn't be any further from the truth. I would advise anyone looking into this company for insurance to RUN away as fast as you can. Statistically speaking, Cigna denies 1/3 of their claims and seems to be more concerned about their bottom line than the individual. I filed a complaint with the Washington State Insurance Commissioner with the hopes of at least sending this organization a message. For as much as we all pay for insurance in this country it would be nice to know you can count on it when you need it. I'm just utterly disgusted by the way Cigna has treated me and others. Look at their reviews: http://www.consumeraffairs.com/insurance/cigna_health.html
I hope this company gets a big wake up call and finally realizes that it can't go on treating people like this.

Our daughter has to have jaw surgery because she has a very bad cross bite which could not be fixed by the ORTHO. The procedure needed 1 year of preparation before the actual surgery, so I call cigna to confirm our coverage to make sure that it is covered before we proceed and the doctor's office also did. We submitted the prior authorization (which they informed us that it will only be valid for 6 months but we should not have any problem re-submit it as the time get closer). IT was approved so my daughter went to the ORTHO to prepared for the surgery. As the date got closer, we submitted another PRIOR authorization as they told us to do so, then it was denied and said that we do not have such coverage. I call and the doctor's office call, my husband call his company (which the insurance thru my husband). Every time I talk to custmer service they said it was covered then I call the department that handle PRIOR AUTHORIZATION they said not covered and sometimes they hang up on me. Then, they told me since this is a new year my coverage for that procedure does not exist and if we have put the actual date then they would have cover it. We had the same insurance and make sure nothing was changed. So, some VIP call from CIGNA after I complain to the Better Business Bureau, but all he does is tell me that he is sorry that the employee at cigna has informed with wrong information. I am supposed to say oh, it is ok they make a mistake ... NOW I HAVE A BILL $20, 000.00 not $2000.00 but $20000.00 thank you. even now they can not type up any claim that I have to submit by myself without we having to call at least 4 times before we get paid. It is very frustrating and they even tell me that it does not matter that the claim was put in wrong because I was not getting paid anyway. I just think there is something wrong with this country insurance company.

At prompting of Human Resources (which assured us that Cigna was just like United Healthcare only a tiny bit cheaper), I switched last year. HUGE mistake! Had a referral to a specialist. Was told none such existed in our town. Doctor said yes...he'd sent others there. Cigna said no. Went straight to the specialists and they said they do take Cigna and have several patients there with the same insurance. Called Cigna again, they said they don't show that specialty but they do have the doctor's office as being in-network...even though that is his ONLY specialty. Now 4 months later, I go to get my diabetic test strips only to find that I have a 50 dollar co-pay. UHC had a special diabetes program that offset the price of the co-pay and brought it down by 30 dollars each month. So I call Cigna to see if they have a similar program. OMG...let the headache begin. First of all, I was transferred around (or occasionally hung up on) 9 times. More numbers and departments and assurances that this was going to be the department with all the answers...sometimes transferring me BACK to the same department I just spoke with two operators before. Yes, we have a program...it's called a Wellness Team. No, we don't have a program but you might want to check with the pharmacy about discounts via mail order prescriptions...my husband gets his that way. No, we don't have no discount mail order testing strips, let me refer to this number. Call number which says "this service is not available." Call again. We have a Personal Health Team that we can set you up with but they have to call you. In the meantime, I can transfer you to the benefits line to see what exactly you're qualified for b/c they can pull all that up. I say o.k. and she transfers me to the exact same line I spoke with three operators ago. He tells me that I need to call the Healthy Rewards department and that they can offer special deals and coupons (not at all what I was asking). I tell him I was told he can look up exactly what coverage and programs I was eligible for and he tells me that I absolutely want this department because they handle all of this sort of stuff. I call and the automated menu has absolutely no option of diabetes. It says stuff like laser eye surgery, chiropractic issues, and stop-smoking programs. When I don't choose an option (because there is not one for my issue) it says "we cannot help you...goodbye."

I'm sick of this stupid company. No one knows what the hell they're talking about. It's worse than one of those Indian call centers for satellite television or computer services. Come October (open enrollment) I'm switching back and warning all others to stay the hell away. These people couldn't find their own rear ends with both hands searching.

My employer uses CIGNA Healthcare to administer its self-paid health insurance plans. Recently my wife and I have been receiving robo-calls every few days (sometimes daily) from CIGNA PHT [protected]). Apparently CIGNA is under the presumption that they have the right to "advise" us with a "Personal Health Team" on how our personal healthcare should be addressed, offering totally unwanted advice. I maintain that our healthcare is ONLY a matter between us and our physicians and NO BUSINESS of a bunch of insurance company beancounters. CIGNA has been told repeatedly to bugger off, that we refuse their unwanted meddling in our healthcare affairs.

I've spoken to several supervisors at homeland healtcare, mailed and faxed proof of my complaint about their agents, who ran a postdated check earlier than agreed and caused us to have a nsf charge at the bank. Noone has reimbursed us, like they said they would once they recieved proof. The last advocate I spoke to was Sharon, and as usual no positive result from a error on homeland healthcares part. I received a phone call from a Brittany saying, she was going to see what happened with that. I would never purchase or recommend anyone to do business with this company, ever.The inappropiate misuse of our postdated check was a red flag.

I am on my wife’s health insurance, which she pays for out of her check each month, hers is covered by the employer.I go to our Doc a couple of times a year to keep up with colesterol, bp and what ever else needed.We were told that Cigna was having a biometric screening for 2 days next week and that it was manatory for all employees and spouses on the plan to attend or be denied further coverage.I don’t think its the place for a provider or employer to be telling me to get my colesterol, bp, body mass and glucose checked when I have a doctor for that.Further more, if I try to refill a bp or colesterol med a few days too soon, cigna makes me wait to get it later.

But they bombard my home phone and mail box with info about how they can save me money on my meds through them and they can even send me a 90 day supply by mail.Total corparate garbage.I don’t trust my mail carrier to get it to the correct address and I choose to support my local mom and pop pharmacy.I am considering dumping Cigna to let my wife bring home that $250 every month that she has been spending and get my meds at local grocer for $4each.I am not a Sheeple

I have had two requests for my Expeiran credit report 11/27/2011, both requests as coming from me. I have NOT requested an Experian credit report before today. The address given for these requests is:
18500 Von Karman Ave, Suite 400
Irvine CA 92612 No phone number was given.
My Chase Visa credit card also showed a charge from Experian on the same date, which prompted me to examine my report.

I am angry and want people to know what CIGNA is doing. I know the lawsuits, court documents and horror stories found on the Internet are not imaginary. As CIGNA has done with so many others: My short-term disability was denied for no good reason. I have the same story as everyone else does: PAPERWORK! I think if anyone mentions paperwork to me again, I will scream! I will not bore anyone the rest of the details, just go to complaint boards and websites and read what others have said. I suggest that everyone who has been wronged by this company go to every media organization they can think of, the more complaints the better. You should also go to your state Insurance Commission. Last resort: I have been forced to hire an attorney.
I am on the verge of losing my job & am in severe financial distress due to this company denying me.

Furious in Indiana

Here's a letter I just wrote to Cigna. Sorry for the length, but the word needs to get out:

Cigna,

I cannot begin to describe the grief that the incompetence and apathy of your company has caused me. Anecdotal evidence STRONGLY suggests, and the shared experience of EVERY provider I spoken to indicates, that you guys DELIBERATELY delay claims. It's part of your ###ing business model. You factor in a percentage of people who will just give up after being denied so many times. Let me be clear: I am not one of those people. I pay for your ### insurance with the expectation, crazy as it might sound, that you will keep up your end of the bargain, and I WILL NOT stop until I am reimbursed the money that is due to me.

Here is a not-so-brief history of the fraudulent tactics Cigna has used to delay payment of my claim:

 I submitted 10 dates of service spanning from 10/15/10 to 5/27/11 over two months ago.

 Cigna Delay tactic #1: The claims were rejected because my provider had not included his taxpayer ID #. There is NO REASON for you to require it. I paid him; I'm the one that needs to be reimbursed. Monies he received from me are a matter between him and the IRS. But I acceded to your ridiculous demand, and the taxpayer ID was provided. Your representative assured me that I’d be reimbursed in a matter of days. Except…

 Cigna Delay Tactic #2: The claim was rejected a second time because Cigna claimed that my provider was a member the Value Options Plan. I don’t know where the hell you got that one, but it was ABSOLUTELY UNTRUE. My provider, Bruce W. Spring, doesn’t even take insurance. I insisted on staying on the phone with one of your reps while she called Value Options. A Value Options rep informed her that Bruce Spring WAS NOT a member of the Value Options network.

Everything should be okay, right? Smooth sailing from here on in, huh? I was even given the name and number of a Cigna supervisor – Allen Young; [protected]) – who promised to expedite the matter. He made it sound like he had a whole crew of people tidying up those claims for me, ready to throw them in the mail. Except…

 Cigna Delay Tactic #3: I needed to sign and fax a claim form stating the money was to be paid to me, not the provider – even though it says on the ###ing statement that the provider has been paid in full and that insurance companies should pay the patient (ME). Okay, fine. I signed. I faxed. But then…

 Cigna Delay Tactic #4: After not hearing from Allan for a while, he finally called me back to tell me that since parts of the statement I submitted were handwritten by the provider, I would have to provide Cigna COPIES OF THE CANCELLED CHECKS I wrote to Dr. Spring. This was no small task, but I sucked it up, downloaded PDFs of 12 checks I’d written and emailed them to him. This was Friday 11/4.

I heard back from Allan yesterday, 11/7, saying that he was still working on it, but had no idea when I’d be paid. We’re not talking a couple hundred dollars here. We’re talking almost $3500.00 of out-of-pocket expenses. We’re talking money I was counting on – money I was promised – to pay bills.

I see all the happy, smiley faces on your website, so it seems that you guys are somewhat concerned with brand image. Let me tell you what images are conjured in my mind when I think of Cigna: a steaming pile of ###, a cancer, raw sewage.

I’m submitting this note to your website, but I’m also submitting my experience to every anti-insurance website I can find. I WILL NOT STOP spreading the word until I am paid in full. You are a problem that needs to be fixed, and I swear to you that I will do my part to make sure it happens.

Sincerely,

George Richards

P.S. For those who’ve had similar experiences and would like to vent, I’m including the Cigna Supervisor’s contact information. I’m sure there are plenty of people who’d like to share their frustration with him.

Allen Young
[protected]
Allen.[protected]@CIGNA.COM>

Cigna informed by phone before I went ahead with the Final Partial (lower right side ) they would cover the whole amount for the partial to the Dentist ($792). Cigna paid to the dentist $529. When I went to the dentist they told me I had to pay $250. I was surprised! As I needed it, I payed. Immediately I phoned Cigna and they told me because they paid for the flipper in December (Temp partial) $267 they would not pay of the rest of the partial which is $267 (amount paid by me US$250). which I was never informed either by the Cigna or Dentist!

When I phoned CIGNA they told me they will look into it. I phoned again spoke to a Manager and they told me they are going to send the cheque $267 to the Dentist. Up to know nothing. I phoned again now they tell me they wont pay!and give me various excuses!

Am leaving to Brasil on Wed the 14th April (my mother is very sick) and wont be able to phone long distance. I wanted this problem to be solved before I go. CIGNA told me when I spoke to one of the Managers that they would take care of it righ away! Phoned again, again everyone gives me different information!

Some of the personnel in Customer Services hund up the phone, I phoned back irritated they she told me to calm down (repeating couple of times!) I told her just put me through a Manager!

My wife had surgery which resulted in a great amount of pain that she continues to life with. She went to numerous doctors over a period of months before the diagnosis was found to be a trapped nerve. While having to live with excruciating, continuous pain & trying to find the root cause of the problem; we had to deal with a company (cigna) who makes your life more of a living hell than it already is. Continuously asking for documentation & picking the doctors' words & phrases that justify their right of denial while completely ignoring wording that would not. Delaying, denying & hoping that you'll become so aggravated & demoralized that you eventually give up.
I honestly don't understand how these people can sleep at night knowing the misery they are causing people who depend on short term disability to live and then compounding it with enough paperwork from doctors that would keep a part time secretary busy - when they know they're just going to deny it anyway.
I haven't wished ill on anyone in years but I hope there is truly karma for all the people in cigna (esp Rachael Z) who have caused my wife & I so much stress & worry through all this. You are one ### company.