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CIGNA INSURANCE PITTSBURG, PA. CIGNA INSURANCE Cancels my Long Term Disabilty Pittsburg Pennsylvania
For several years before open surgery caused my disability, I paid on a regular basis a premium each week, for Long Term Disability. When I became totally disabled, my insurance provider, CIGNA, of Pittsburg, PA. began to pay me as was prescribed by the policy. They paid me for almost five years, but recently pulled the plug on those payments.
It seems he company doesn't believe I'm disabled because of missed doctor appointments in 2007, that they filmed me picking up tree limbs from my front yard, and that I put together a class reunion (my 40th). The also stated that I did a 5-k in 2004 with a time of 53 minutes plus. The also stated that my positions in ministry at my church were of such that it proved I wasn't disabled. The company also stated I owed them monies because my pay had been too much considering I was drawing my pension. The policy does state I was drawing too much, however they had been informed on various occasions of my complete income on questioniares they sent me to fill out. Much of the information iregarding my bio are posted on the world wide web, it wasn't in no ways trying to be hid. And is probably the source which the company used.
However what CIGNA doesn't see is that my work in ministry is done mostly from my home, there is no pay, and in being home I can rest, take regular naps and such to not over extend. The six by-passes I had in 2003 will not allow me much exerted effort without rest / nap / bed rest.
They also fail to video my 5-k effort which would have shown them a cross over which probably cut off at least 1 mile of the race / walk. Being an avid workout person, I was trying to see just where my level of activity was at that time. There has been on such effort since, nor will there be. The class reunion, I was a contact person. And for the money owed, I wasn't told of this stipulation in my policy but did allow, recoup your money if that's what must be done; however the kicker was they then decided my disability wasn't worthy of my receiving any monies and at the same time dropped my waiver of premium on a life policy worth more than a quarter of a million dollars.
The company acted in a fragulent and perverse manner because they made a mistake and needed someone to rectify thier oversight. My case workers name no longer appears on any of the correspondance from CIGNA; therefore I believe she has been canned for some reason. Maybe she didn't catch the blip in the funds being distributed. So now they need a punching bag, and guess what? Its me.
After my surgery the doctors told my wife if I lived five years it would be a miracle. Possibly CIGNA is now thinking this guy is worth more off our files than on. Let's take him off everything and then when he dies, his wife and family can't get his just due. Though he paid, we now don't want to pay in case his demise is to be soon.
Its a shame and a crying shame that this major company thinks in terms like this but its the only conclusion I can come with.
CIGNA Insurance is a RIP-OFF! Anyone doing business with them should beware, they will get you if they can. But before I leave this earth my plan is to combat this greedy and unscrupulous company for the pain and suffering they have caused me and my family.
I know this is a lot, but it had to be told as it is.
Thank you for your time,
Cecil J Barnette
Cbarnette
Paducah, Kentucky
U.S.A.
1 Updates & Rebuttals
Micah
Sioux Falls,South Dakota,
U.S.A.
Cigna denying claims after it had already been approved
#2UPDATE Employee
Mon, August 25, 2008
Hi. I work for cigna. I actually work at cigna's mail order pharmacy so I deal with pharmacy claims, but I have seen this issue with their prescription claims.
Expensive injectable medications are usually processed through the patient's medical side of insurance instead of pharmacy side. Working at cigna's mail order pharmacy, I have seen claims where cigna medical had approved & told us that the medication WAS covered. So we fill the prescription & mail the medication to the patient. Later, anywhere from a month to a year, cigna reverses the claim & denies it, therefore we no longer have payment for the medication that had already been filled. So then we (the mail order pharmacy) charge the patient the full price of the medication - which can be thousands of dollars!
It's kind of the same thing they are doing with your LTD claim. I don't agree with this & feel we shouldn't force the patient to pay the entire cost of the medication - if cigna originally approved the claim then they need to stand by that. If the claim was approved by mistake, then cigna should be the one to pay for THEIR error. And the same concept should be applied to your LTD claim. I am but a "peon" in the company so not much I can do to change this unfortunately.
I also have an uncle who is a lawyer & has had many cases AGAINST insurance companies. He explained that once the insurance company has paid a certain amount of money toward something (such as disability claim, cancer treatment, etc) then they do a full & thurough check into the claim to find something, ANYTHING, that would allow them to either stop covering & paying the claim or to deny the claim altogether & try to get back the money they've already spent.
My uncle said this is a common procedure with insurance companies & he's had many cases against different insurance companies for these issues. Insurance companies of course have many lawyers working for them & they really fight these cases so it's a long battle!
It's unfortunate that insurance companies think they can "toy" with people's health & the money that their customers are due to have! This information may not help your situation much, but I thought I'ld give it to you & congratulate you for standing up to these monsters & wish you great luck with the outcome of your case!