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Anyone approved by CIGNA?



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Hi I have CIGNA as my insurance and I'm wondering if anyone with Cigna has been given a hard time for approval and how long was the process . Thanks

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I was approved by Cigna. They require 5 business days for a decision. They said some additional paperwork was needed after I submitted so my advocate sent it that day. (even though she already sent it the first time). It was re-submitted for "reconsideration" and took and additional 5 business days. I had my surgery 5 days ago. :) They also require a 3 month supervised diet but no documentation of a weight history. good luck!!

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I have Cigna as well. My approval process included 5 years of weight history and 6 months supervised diet. Once all of the documentation was submitted I was also told a 5 day turnaround. Once I contacted Cigna on the 5th day to check the status, I had been denied. They denied me because the PCP noted that she recommended me for surgery, but didn't specifically state "cleared for surgery" on her paperwork. The patient advocate got that info from the PCP and faxed to them, received the approval 2 days later. :-) Well worth the hassle...I get sleeved 1/10. So excited! Good luck. I hope everything goes smoothly for you.

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I have Cigna too. I was submitted on Dec 8, but was denied. Cigna claimed they didn't receive the 3 month supervised diet (which they did receive), and they said that my pcp didn't provide enough documentation that I had an adequate comorbidity (which I do). My advocate sent the 3 month history again, and I got a letter from my pcp stating that this surgery would help my hyperlipidemia, which is my comorbidity, and Cigna states that hyperlipidemia is an adequate comorbidity. My advocate resubmitted all of that info on Dec 27. My advocate says she will call them by Friday if she hasn't heard from them. My Cigna asks for the exact same requirements as mommybo. Since my bmi is right at 35-36 and I only have one comorbidity (even though Cigna says you only have to have one), I'm not feeling real positive. If they deny me again, I will keep fighting....uggghhh.

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I wAs approved by cigna recently. My first submussiin they denied because they needed another doctors opinion as to why this surgery will benefit you and also that i did not present my 3 minth supervised diet. Total BS! So i had my pcp write a letter if recommendation and resubmitted aling with my 3 ointh supervised diet ligs and was approved after 5 days. I am BMI 48 with a couple of comorbidities but they still like to play a little game. Good luck.

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I have Cigna I needed a 6 month supervised visits and tests to be able to submit and now I have to wait 30 business days to find out if I'm approved or not

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They denied me waiting for a appeal reallt depress I have Cigna

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They denied me waiting for a appeal reallt depress I have Cigna

Oh no Ms Jackie! Praying for you!! Hang in there, remember I was denied at first too and then approved. It's like they don't EVER approve on the first try. Keep me updated. :rolleyes:

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I will sis why was you denied at first?

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I will sis why was you denied at first?

They needed the documentation of me seeing a nutritionist. My PCP saw me for the 3 month supervised diet because the requirements said it has to be supervised by your doctor OR a nutritionst. My advocate got me in that day with a nutrionist and she sent them her report that day. It was weird but it turned out ok. It was the week of Thanksgiving so I ended up waiting longer than a week for a response.

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I have Cinga. I had to do 3 months of dietitian apoinments. 2 co-morbidities or a BMI over 40. I met all their requirements and was denined stating that surgery was not medically nessasary. My doctor then had to do a peer to peer with the Cinga medical director to get it approved. It only took 5 days total from submitting paper work to the approval.

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My doctor peer peer appeal too waiting now

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No problem at all with Cigna - quick turn around - all covered

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      On day 4 of the 2 week liquid pre-op diet. Surgery scheduled for June 11th.
      Soooo I am coming to a realization
      of something and I'm not sure what to do about it. For years the only thing I've enjoyed is eating. We rarely do anything or go anywhere and if we do it always includes food. Family comes over? Big family dinner! Go camping? Food! Take a short ride or trip? Food! Holiday? Food! Go out of town for a Dr appointment? Food! When we go to a new town we don't look for any attractions, we look for restaurants we haven't been to. Heck, I look forward to getting off work because that means it's almost supper time. Now that I'm drinking these pre-op shakes for breakfast, lunch, and supper I have nothing to look forward to.  And once I have surgery on June 11th it'll be more of the same shakes. Even after pureed stage, soft food stage, and finally regular food stage, it's going to be a drastic change for the rest of my life. I'm giving up the one thing that really brings me joy. Eating. How do you cope with that? What do you do to fill that void? Wow. Now I'm sad.
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      1. LeighaTR

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    • Alisa_S

      On day 4 of the 2 week liquid pre-op diet. Surgery scheduled for June 11th.
      Soooo I am coming to a realization
      of something and I'm not sure what to do about it. For years the only thing I've enjoyed is eating. We rarely do anything or go anywhere and if we do it always includes food. Family comes over? Big family dinner! Go camping? Food! Take a short ride or trip? Food! Holiday? Food! Go out of town for a Dr appointment? Food! When we go to a new town we don't look for any attractions, we look for restaurants we haven't been to. Heck, I look forward to getting off work because that means it's almost supper time. Now that I'm drinking these pre-op shakes for breakfast, lunch, and supper I have nothing to look forward to.  And once I have surgery on June 11th it'll be more of the same shakes. Even after pureed stage, soft food stage, and finally regular food stage, it's going to be a drastic change for the rest of my life. I'm giving up the one thing that really brings me joy. Eating. How do you cope with that? What do you do to fill that void? Wow. Now I'm sad.
      · 1 reply
      1. summerseeker

        Life as a big person had limited my life to what I knew I could manage to do each day. That was eat. I hadn't anything else to look forward to. So my eating choices were the best I could dream up. I planned the cooking in managable lots in my head and filled my day with and around it.

        Now I have a whole new big, bigger, biggest, best days ever. I am out there with those skinny people doing stuff i could never have dreamt of. Food is now an after thought. It doesn't consume my day. I still enjoy the good home cooked food but I eat smaller portions. I leave food on my plate when I am full. I can no longer hear my mother's voice saying eat it all up, ther are starving children in Africa who would want that!

        I still cook for family feasts, I love cooking. I still do holidays but I have changed from the All inclusive drinking and eating everything everyday kind to Self catering accommodation. This gives me the choice of cooking or eating out as I choose. I rarely drink anymore as I usually travel alone now and I feel I need to keep aware of my surroundings.

        I don't know at what point my life expanded, was it when I lost 100 pounds? Was it when I left my walking stick at home ? Was it when I said yes to an outing instead of finding an excuse to stay home ? i look back at my last five years and wonder how loosing weight has made such a difference. Be ready to amaze yourself.

        BTW, the liquid diet sucks, one more day and you are over the worst. You can do it.

    • CaseyP1011

      Officially here for a long time, not just a good time💪
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