CIGNA is not a user friendly company. When I was hired I choose CIGNA HMO option. In retrospect this was a bad decision.
- To see if you are covered for any medical procedure, I have to call the toll free number. Information provided on their website is not contractual. It does say that specific items are covered, or that specific doctors are in network, but that does not mean it is correct. I spoke with a representative who told me that a specific doctor was not in network. When the CIGNA rep went onto the website, he acknowledged the doctor was on the website, but for ‘my case’ he was not in network. The upshot of that phone call was that I was required to call CIGNA before seeking any services whether routine or not.
- CIGNA uses a third party clearing house of processing of claims. American Specialty Health Group (ASH). This group has their own set of preauthorized in network providers. They are not required to provide a list of those providers to me so I can pick someone who in in network. I am stuck with a $775 bill as the provider accepts CIGNA, has other that work for the same company in the same location as I do and have the same coverage, but because I live in Missouri and work in Kansas and the provider is 2 miles from the state line, then they are not in my network. To recap – there is no way of telling who is in and who is not in network and that can change with no notice.