2.4K views
32 comments

Cigna denied my MRI.... I have a bulging disc which is very painful since 2015 and my doctor ordered an MRI exam but CIGNA denied it two times!

Because Cigna knows that there's a reason for an MRI....and the reason is for me getting a surgery. CIGNA doesn't want to pay for the surgery nor the MRI because the MRI determines the injury CIGNA IS THE WORST!! CIGNA IS SATAN! CIGNA IS A MONEY COLLECTOR BUSINESS NOTHING ELSE!

DO NOT SIGN UP FOR CIGNA BECAUSE THEY ARE NOT GOING TO PAY FOR ANYTHING! I'M GOING TO CANCEL MY INSURANCE WITH CIGNA BECAUSE IT IS COMPLETELY USELESS!

Reason of review: Poor customer service.

Do You Have Something To Say ?
Write a review

Comments

chat-icon

Please avoid publishing any personal information and promotional content

You will be automatically registered on our site. Username and password will be sent to you via email.
Post Comment
Guest

Cigna is a disgrace. Cost me nearly a thousand dollars with insurance to get a CT scan and the hidden bills are still coming.

I found out without insurance a CT scan would cost 400 dollars, so what is the point of insurance. also a prescription I received with insurance cost 20 dollars, I learned without insurance cost 5.00 dollars. LOL .

What a joke. Insurance is a scam.

Guest

They've done the same to me, twice now. I paid for the first MRI myself, just to prove to myself what was wrong with my back, BECAUSE physical therapy, chiropractic treatment and pain medication was not working.

CIGNA's response: "There is no record (yes there is because the bills were submitted to CIGNA) that you had contact...with your doctor after a recent (within 3 months) ((I have 2 years worth)) six week trial of treatment that failed to improve your symptoms. Supported treatments include (but are not limited to) medications for swelling or pain (I've done Tylenol, Ibuprofen, PRP therapy, ice packs), physical therapy (I did Arrosti therapy, and chiropractic therapy for 3 weeks until I realized I wasn't getting any lasting relief), and/or oral or injected steroids (I have rejected this treatment, as I believe it is a useless band-aid that pharma companies push).

Guest

I am being denied an MRI....after treating my painful knee for five weeks myself and finding no relief....KT tape, Advil, Tylenol, no rapid walking for exercise as I normally do, and limited driving (my driving foot)... So, I consulted my doctor.

He ordered an MRI While I was waiting for the MRI, because I have been walking on my right side of my right foot for multiple weeks (it was less painful on the knee) and I woke up with excruciating pain in my right foot ? It was painful enough to consider going to the ER in the morning....Tendinitis because of stressing that right side of the right foot for 5 weeks ! I am now on oral steroids for the foot pain and had a foot X-ray because I thought perhaps a fracture of the bones of my foot. I need an MRI to diagnose why my knee is still painful when I walk...after now 7 weeks...I also purchased 3 different shoes to try to stabilize my knee .

However, Cigna, Cigna, Cigna has denied me a 308.00 MRI. If I am forced to pay for it, I have to sign a waiver that CIGNA has no responsibility towards me with the signing of that waiver. Cigna Cigna Cigna I have a very close friend in the UK with an overwhelming amount of medical issues !

A son with a broken toe INSTANT CARE, A son with a sprained ankle INSTANT CARE.... And all of her complex needs met ALWAYS SHAME ON THE FACT THAT I HAVE NALC, CIGNA and a multitude of other companies deciding that I, a 71 year old woman, who tried to save the insurance company money by taking care of my knee before seeking care from my doctor....out of answers for my own care A simple 308.00 MRI DENIED I am appalled and terribly ashamed of our greedy country....

Guest

Who is Nataline Sarkisyan? (From the Novermber 5, 2019 review below )

Guest
reply icon Replying to comment of Guest-1828225

A young 17 year old teenage girl diagnosed with leukemia in late 2007. Cigna was her health insurance company at the time through her father's employment with Mercedes Benz.

Nataline required a liver transplant which her doctors said was necessary to save her life, it would have given her at least a 65% chance of survival according to the doctors. Cigna however, still did not approve Nataline's liver transplant procedure, and went against the doctors at UCLA medical center. This was despite the pleas from Nataline's doctors at UCLA to approve the liver transplant operation. Cigna denied this procedure, stating that her father's plan with Mercedes Benz was responsible for the coverage, not them.

Cigna stated that Nataline was not covered for this liver transplant under her father's employer sponsored plan through Mercedes Benz. There was lots of international protest surrounding this case, prompting Cigna to reverse its first denial decision. This was on the date of December 20th of 2007. However, Cigna's reversal of denial decision came too late.

Just hours after agreeing to cover the procedure, Nataline Sarkisyan died on the night of December 20th, 2007. Hilda and Krikor Sarkisyan retained famed attorney Mark Geragos to file a wrongful death lawsuit against Cigna. The court dismissed the case however, citing a ruling from years earlier in 1987: Pilot Life Insurance versus Dedeaux. This ruling basically shielded claimants from seeking damages for decisions made through employer sponsored plans.

Hilda and Krikor Sarkisyan became very active in support of John Edwards' 2008 presidential campaign revolving around trying to change the U.S. healthcare system. Lots of people at the time in late 2007 and throughout 2008 and 2009 blamed Cigna for Nataline's death. This also included the California Nurses Association, who staged protests outside one of Cigna's corporate offices in Glendale, California.

There was a lot of public outcry, demanding that Cigna reverse its denial decision and not classify Nataline's liver transplant as 'experimental', the reason behind their decision in the first place. Yet the court dismissed the case based on that decades old ruling of Dedeaux vs. Pilot Life Insurance Co. One of Cigna's executives, Wendell Potter, resigned just weeks after Nataline Sarkisyan's death on December 20th, 2007, citing moral reasons and having difficulty continuing to represent the insurance industry over average people.

Wendell's website Tarbell which he launched in late 2017 is a forum for discussing and debating highly controversial political and healthcare related topics.

All these facts are listed on Wikipedia under the 'Death of Nataline Sarkisyan' webpage on that same site. Hope this answers all your questions regarding this young lady, Nataline Sarkisyan and the impact her death had on healthcare reform here in the U.S.

Guest

You are 100% right. They deny everything. They're the worst insurance I have ever seen.

Guest

I had an MRI and it revealed a complex tear in my knee....2 weeks before the surgery cigna denied they would pay...its December and my deductible is down....they will probably approve it for January when my deductible starts over...they suck....they always have excuses...they blamed the doctors office that they did not send enough info....bullshit...how much info do you need....well I hope my knee gives out totally then they will pay me to stay home on disability as well...then I will get a lawyer and sue them for the delay when it could have been fixed with minimal problems....its all a scam....they are all in bed together

Guest

Greedy Pigs! They do NOT like to pay claims.

Especially Long Term Disability Claims. Just Google CIGNA LTD Complaints. Executive Compensation As President and Chief Executive Officer at CIGNA CORP, David M. Cordani made $18,944,045 in total compensation.

Name and title total compensation Timothy C. Wentworth President, Express Scripts & Cigna Services $8,875,346 Nicole S. Jones Executive Vice President, General Counsel $4,009,355 Jason D. Sadler President, International Markets $3,526,008 David M.

Cordani President and Chief Executive Officer $18,944,045 Alan M. Muney M.D. Former Executive Vice President, Total Health Network & Chief Medical Officer $5,862,659 Christopher J.

Hocevar Former President, Strategy, Segments & Solutions $5,352,336 Eric P. Palmer Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer $4,770,408

Kadeshia Byu
reply icon Replying to comment of Guest-1769883

Donโ€™t ever use Cigna for anything if you need quality insurance. The company does not care about people, and the only thing they appear to care about is appeasing their shareholders.

And if that means denying you medically needed care because of the incurred expenses on their corporate balance sheets that comes attached to paying valid claims, well then youโ€™re pretty much out of luck. Every denial of service and care which Cigna can successfully pull off, means that much more in their own greedy pockets! For more than 28 years, I always paid my premiums on time and in the full amount. The premiums were actually rather expensive, but I purchased the policy back in the early โ€˜90s just in case I would ever need it.

Would you believe that Cigna stopped covering a couple of different medications which I have needed all my life to properly control my diabetes? The company just stopped covering the medications, but no explanation was ever given. How can this be? This is the same medication Iโ€™d been taken for over 45 plus years, never without issue.

Cigna didnโ€™t even offer me the option of a generic medication substitute either. They just cold, flat-out stopped covering my potentially lifesaving diabetes medications which I need to keep my condition under control. Iโ€™ve gone through every complaint, grievance, and appeal process they have, yet the answer is still the same: โ€˜this is experimental and not medically necessary.โ€™ Thatโ€™s their favorite catchall quote which they use to avoid paying valid claims. Seriously, all jokes aside, I almost feel like your spleen could be falling out of your body, and Cigna would still probably find some way to avoid covering that because itโ€™s โ€˜not medically necessary.โ€™ My battle with Cigna of trying to get them to reconsider and cover my diabetes medications has been going on for well over a year, and quite honestly, Iโ€™m just so sick and tired of their shenanigans.

Iโ€™m out literally thousands of dollars so far because of this companyโ€™s callous, insensitive disregard for one of their memberโ€™s health. My medical bills are skyrocketing high, and Iโ€™m in serious jeopardy of losing my home right now due to all of the bills which keep piling up which I cannot afford. The company couldnโ€™t care less though, all they do is promise โ€œto make it rightโ€ then you get the same runaround time after time after timeโ€ฆ The end result is that Cigna stopped covering my diabetes medications well over a year ago, which I truly need to avoid going into diabetic comas (which happened to me four times in the past year alone) I honestly feel like maybe the company would rather prefer you die i.e. of serious diabetes complications, versus doing the right thing and covering truly โ€˜medically necessaryโ€™ services and care for their insureds.

Maybe if enough people read my story here, they will strongly reconsider deciding to purchase insurance through Cigna. The company will be there in a flash to accept your insurance premiums, thousands and thousands of dollars over the course of many years.

Yet they will run so far in the opposite direction when itโ€™s time to finally pay out a valid and medically needed claim. What a travesty that an insurer as large and as global as Cigna is should choose to conduct itself in this callous, cold-hearted manner with apparent zero regard for human life or care quality.

Candee Cry

I agree. Same here.

Ortho wants to determine a herniated disc and or pinched nerve in my neck with excruciating pain through my left shoulder down my arm. Horrible, breath taking pain and makes me sick to my stomach. Cigna said NOPE, but my 2ndary approved it. Since my primary Cigna, declined well automatically UHC will decline.

So Cigna said I have to do other means for 6 weeks before they'll consider an MRi. Unbelievable. I'm in horrible pain.

Barely turn my head to the left... Contimplsting going to ER

Guest

I've had the EXACT same experience. All other tests failed to product a diagnosis, but I still have a medical issue where I can't walk and am in severe pain.

Cigna wants some doctor on their payroll to have a phone call with my doctor first - and have put it off for almost 2 weeks. The only work around is to just to the ER.

There are higher co-pays, but they'll be able to get the imaging done without going through all the nonsense. It'll actually cost Cigna more, and will cost me more, but that's the sad state of insurance today!

Cicero Ujo

Getting the same runaround. Cigna has been great until you really need the insurance

Guest

Yes Just had the same experience, except its to review a brain lesion. This is the only affordable insurance available in my area.

Sad but Im sure there are laws protecting patients who were denied a test that could have saved a life or limb. Time to call an attorney.

Guest

So can you sue them for denying health care. Do they think their Gods. So if conditions found occurring for lack of MRI that could have been avoided or affects someoneโ€™s the rest of their life I would sue them for negligence,,

Guest

Cigna is a horrifying monstrosity - a malignancy that continuously feeds on itself.

Guest

I purchased Long Term Disability Insurance with CIGNA (LINA) for about 25 years prior to making a claim. The insurance was offered through my employer State Farm.

CIGNA covered 2 years of my disability (after the 6 month wait), however now they are performing a two year review for any occupation. An IME (Independent Medical Exam) has been scheduled by CIGNA for me, even though Social Security approved my claim on the first review. My medical records/history is very extensive, covering multiple surgeries and procedures in an attempt to try and make my conditions manageable; however they just keep getting worse. The pain is excruciating, it affects my sleeping, moods, mobility, relationships, everything in my life.

It started out with Endometriosis in my mid early to mid-twenties, which ended up in a total Hysterectomy. The Endometriosis developed into Fibromyalgia, which then also was complicated my Diffuse Small Fiber Neuropathy (diagnosed as a result of a Skin Punch Biopsy). This affects my bladder, causing incontinence which is unable to be helped by Rx medications as I am beyond that point. I can wear heavy adult protection, with a heavy pad, all meant for adults with Incontinence, but when stressed it has gone through all my protection, soaking my blue jeans, causing me to have to put a towel on my car seat to drive home.

I have Mental and Cognitive issues, which are in large due to my Physical Conditions which are all predicted to stay the same or get worse. There is NO prognosis for the medical conditions to ever get better, and or improve. From the voluminous amount of complaints by claimants about CIGNA on the Internet, I fully expect them to deny my claim as this is standard procedure for the company so their CEO, and VP's can make all the money they do being overpaid for denying valid claims as indicated by past State Insurance Department investigations, fines, rulings. I have a Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner, Primary Care Physician, Rheumatologist, and Neuropsychologist who all support my disability and have written letters explaining the same along with what they are basing it on.

I also have an Urologist who can support my Bladder/Incontinence issues, along with a prior Pain Management Doctor who after several procedures said there was nothing else he could do for me, as everything he could try was exhausted. I also provided a complete record from my prior Rheumatologist who I went to for years prior to my new one. CIGNA (LINA) has immense amount of test results, history of countless failed procedures performed in an attempt to alleviate my pain and urinary issues with no success, record of past missed work, and medical history which all backs my claim as being legitimate. *It is amazing just how many times CIGNA claims to not have received documentation even though the medical provider or us have included the Incident Number with a cover sheet, and every other place we are sending that information has received it.

Also how many times the Medical Examiners reviewing the documentation for CIGNA take only certain words or sentences from a claimants Medical Providers to bolster their case, IE CIGNA Cherry Picks what they want to use, and disregards what does not support CIGNAโ€™s case. For those suffering or those family members and friends going through this: I strongly encourage using this website as a means to voice your issues/concerns, along with writing your State Insurance Department and the Insurance Department for whatever state your disability policy was written in. Also writing the State Insurance Departments that previously investigated and fined CIGNA in the past Connecticut, California, Massachusetts, Maine, and Pennsylvania, as a means of letting those agencies know even though they cannot address your claim (if the policy and or state you live in is not in their jurisdiction) that things have not changed with CIGNA, so hopefully the States reinvestigate CIGNA and fine them again. Your State Legislature, Local Officialโ€™s, News Agencies such as Daily Mail, CBS, NBC, ABC, ETC.

are all worth writing, along with Social Media and CIGNAโ€™s Executives (once you have your handling Reps Email Address then you should be able to figure out the Executive Email Addresses by using the same format).

The more people that fight this Mega Company the more chance they will be held responsible for their crimes of greed, dishonesty, and Bad Faith Claims Handling all for The Powerful Almighty Dollar. CIGNA has a massive amount of Lawyers and Lobbyist to make sure the deck is stacked in their favor, so only through a mass effort can we hope to change Corporate America.

Guest
reply icon Replying to comment of Guest-1687745

David.Cordani@***.com (CEO) do not bother with "CGIConsumerAdvocacy@***.com" as they give lip service to pretend the company (CIGNA) gives a damn when they do not give a c-ap!

Guest
reply icon Replying to comment of Guest-1687745

The CIGNA rep called today to advise their doctor (the CIGNA doctor) is waiting for a return call from one of my wife's medical providers, the Neuropsychologist, in the event we wanted to followup to make sure their call is returned. What is amazing is the letter from the Neuropsychologist is very clear regarding the medical issues preventing my wife from working.

We feel it is very clear as well that CIGNA contacts the medical providers even if no clarification is needed, in order to sqew the statements received in in order to make them support CIGNA's predetermination, that EVERY ONE CAN WORK NO MATTER WHAT. PER CIGNA IF YOU CAN FEED YOURSELF, AND ANSWER THE PHONE, THEN YOU CAN WORK!!!!!! ****Keep this in mind when you are looking into using them for LTD, and consider policies outside of what State Farm offers. Also I read the CEO David Cordani made around 49 Million in 2016.

GREEDY PIG, PIG, PIG! But don't go by what I have read, research it yourself. **CIGNA WILL CONSTANTLY CONTACT MEDICAL PROVIDERS THAT SUPPORT YOUR CLAIM, STATING THEY HAVE ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS EVEN IF WHAT YOUR PROVIDER WROTE IS VERY CLEAR. IT IS A TACTIC THEY USE TO WEAR THE MEDICAL PROVIDER DOWN.

ONCE THE PROVIDER STOPS ANSWERING THEM BACK, THEN THEY CAN DENY, STATING PROVIDER WOULD NOT FOLLOW-UP.

THEY ABUSE THE SYSTEM. CIGNA IS ***

Guest

I am going through the same thing. CIGNA denied my spinal surgery.

I am in pain constantly, can't walk, sleep, do anything. They denied it one week before the scheduled surgery.

CIGNA is a scumbug company. I intend on taking this matter the legal way......I am suing!

Guest

My husband is currently battling Cigna for an MRI. Even with two doctors ordering it, they deny.

He can not stand for more then 10 minutes and is daily in excrutiatung pain.

Now doing PT which is resulting in not being able to sit for periods of more then a few minutes. In my opinion this denial is about money and has nothing to do with the patient.

View more comments (12)

Cigna Reviews

  1. 138 reviews
  2. 27 reviews
  3. 11 reviews
  4. 6 reviews
  5. 1 review
Cigna reviews