How Long Does Cigna Approval Take ?

[chunkychic30 12]

Hi, I was wondering is their anyone that had Cigna (north Texas) and how long was the approval wait ? I completed everything that was asked of the insurance company and all paper work has been submitted. As you can imagine I am ready to get the procedure done. Anyone ? Thanks!

[takingmylifebacc 21]

I have Cigna, I believe it was less than three weeks.

[aliandrews 98]

It took about 2 to 2 1/2 weeks for me. I was so tired of waiting also.

[cmd1109 85]

I had my response within days. I called everyday on it though, so they might have been trying to get me to stop pestering them! What part of north Texas are you in? If you don't mind me asking?

[chunkychic30 12]

Dallas

[bella143 8]

I have Cigna too.. Mine was sent in feb 7th. They told me when I called it could take up to 45 business days!

What did you say when you called them? When I called they were so rude to me.

[bella143 8]

I have Cigna' date=' I believe it was less than three weeks.[/quote']

Hi there..

It's been over 3 weeks for me to gt an answer from Cigna. I'm going crazy. Where r you located? Do you have any other health condition besides the obesity? If you don't. Ind me askig. In just getting worried i won't be approved.

[bella143 8]

I had my response within days. I called everyday on it though' date=' so they might have been trying to get me to stop pestering them! What part of north Texas are you in? If you don't mind me asking?[/quote']

Hi.. When u called Cigna what did you say? I called once n they were so rude.

[chunkychic30 12]

well i was told today that i should have a responce in about 2 1/2 weeks but the max they have to respond is 30 days ? I will call at end of the week , i was told to ask for pre-certification department.

[bella143 8]

I was originally told 30 days also but when I called Cigna my self they told me 30-45 business days.

[Wheetsin 714]

Cigna's official policy on preauthorizations or predeterminations (per Cigna) is a minimum of 20 business days, but no more than 30 business days. Their trend seems to be the longer it takes, the less you're going to like the response.

They took 29 days to respond with my denial.

When I appealed the denial, it took 29 days again to get the approval.

By that time it was December and my insurance was changing Jan 1, so there wasn't enough time to schedule me in anyway.

[bella143 8]

Cigna's official policy on preauthorizations or predeterminations (per Cigna) is a minimum of 20 business days' date=' but no more than 30 business days. Their trend seems to be the longer it takes, the less you're going to like the response.

They took 29 days to respond with my denial.

When I appealed the denial, it took 29 days again to get the approval.

By that time it was December and my insurance was changing Jan 1, so there wasn't enough time to schedule me in anyway.[/quote']

Oh my gosh are you serious!? When I called they said upto 45 business days. They said try recieved it on feb 7. How do you know the longer they take the most likely they will deny?

[Wheetsin 714]

I don't know it for a fact, it's just what seems to be true anecdotally. But from my own example (approval and denial took the same number of days) there are absolutely exceptions. I've spent decent chunks of time gathering coverage statistics by procedure and by insurance carrier (making FAQ type things for another WLS board I use, and for my own info). I've "been around" WLS boards off and on for about 8 years, and I tend to be fairly active in the insurance forums, and I've just seen a lot of the same thing -- in the most generic way possible, good news tends to come quickly, bad news tends to take a while longer. But don't freak out. Referring to my example again - good news can take a while longer as well.

BTW, I hate Cigna. 29 days was ridiculous. UHC took 7 days to approve my AGB. BCBS took 2 days to approve my sleeve. Wtf were they doing for 27 days?!?

(BTW, I called Cigna every. day. to check and see if a decision was ready yet. I knew before my insurance coordinator did that I had been denied. Cigna routes predeterminations through their "utilization board" (I think that's it... utilization something...) so sometimes you have to get away from the basic customer service reps and get ahold of someone in that utilization area to get worthwhile info).

[bella143 8]

Thanks for the info! I am freaking out lol. Aside from the over 6 month waiting period being torture waiting for an answer is beyond torture!

Do you know anyone who was approved by cigna the first time?

[Wheetsin 714]

Oh yes, they approve on the first time too. Believe it or not.

My case was a little different. I'm a revision: previously had a band (under UHC), had the band removed (under Cigna, first time approval) and then submitted for a sleeve (denied by Cigna first time, approved on appeal).

They denied me because I didn't prove mechanical failure, and I didn't prove compliance with the post-op diet. Well -- my band had a "profound" slip. It was considered uncorrectable, and my choices were pretty much removal, or live with it slipped. Slip is a nice term for the stomach prolapsing through the band, btw, so we aren't really talking about comfortable living conditions. It was clearly visible in the xray and I had an EGD as well, and 2 years of GERD and aother slip symtoms which can cause their own complications (I had aspiration pneumonia from the GERD twice, basically inhaled vomit and it gave me pneumonia... not to mention it is gross, and hurts like a mutha). So how they figure I didn't prove that it was a mechanical failure, I have no idea.

As for required diet - there isn't one with the band, so how do you prove that? Gah. That one took some work. I was only with Cigna for about 2 years, but I absolutely hated them.