CIGNA PPO - Health Insurance Issues Message Board

mouse62 · 10-17-2003, 11:30 AM

CIGNA PPO is a big turd as far as I'm concerned.

I left a union job back in 2000 and did not realize how fantastic my benefits were. Just by paying $11.40 a week union dues, my 2 children and I had Personal Choice BC/BS, and I only had to pay $5 for office visits and for generic drugs, and only 10% co-insurance for hospital treatments. NO DEDUCTIBLE. Everything covered -- eye, dental, mental.

Have things changed so much in the past 3 years that the above scenario does not exist anymore?

My current employer forced everyone to switch to CIGNA PPO (NO HMO available). The Dr. I like doesn't even accept it. It is $90 a month for me alone, with a $300 yearly deductible, $15 dr. visits, and 20% co-insurance for hospital. As for my kids -- they are on CHIP now!!!!!!!! Free!!!!!!

rubindj · 10-19-2003, 09:51 PM

You have a very good plan.

My previous employer (who I keep in close contact with) just had to switch plans again. The new plan is this:

$25 OV, $40 specialist, $10 generic / $25 formulary / $40 non-form. $500 ded., 20% co-pay, and this is in-network. He's a physician, and say's that this is actually considered a fairly good plan for the area.

He has to pay $340 per employee for the insurance, and $850 per family (that's / month).

sunshine123 · 12-30-2003, 06:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mouse62

CIGNA PPO is a big turd as far as I'm concerned.

I left a union job back in 2000 and did not realize how fantastic my benefits were. Just by paying $11.40 a week union dues, my 2 children and I had Personal Choice BC/BS, and I only had to pay $5 for office visits and for generic drugs, and only 10% co-insurance for hospital treatments. NO DEDUCTIBLE. Everything covered -- eye, dental, mental.

Have things changed so much in the past 3 years that the above scenario does not exist anymore?

My current employer forced everyone to switch to CIGNA PPO (NO HMO available). The Dr. I like doesn't even accept it. It is $90 a month for me alone, with a $300 yearly deductible, $15 dr. visits, and 20% co-insurance for hospital. As for my kids -- they are on CHIP now!!!!!!!! Free!!!!!!

We have Cigna PPO from my husband's employer and the really do suck. It takes months to get claims settled and they lie saying they never received the claims even though the Drs. office faxes the info to them several times. It's so aggravating. We pay $20 for office visits, specialists are more. The cost of RX's is terrible. It makes me feel guilty that I have to take several meds. The only other option available to us was Kaiser HMO and neither one of us wanted them.

Saraly · 01-11-2004, 12:33 PM

I have CIGNA PPO too and you're right, it's the worst! I pay $240.00 a month for myself and my spouse. People with kids were raised to $400.00 a month. Our deductible is now $1000.00 and instead of 80/20 it's now 70/30. I take two medications and it costs $75.00 a month for co-pay. My claims are "lost" all the time and the rest of the time they are screwed up. I sent in a claim and highlighted and circled in red that it was paid in full by me at time of visit. CIGNA sent the check to the doctor. I had blood work done at New York University Medical Center last week and they posted a big sign stating that they will accept CIGNA PPO but will no longer accept HMO or POS. I asked the billing clerk why and he said, "because they suck!!!".

sunshine123 · 01-11-2004, 05:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Saraly

I have CIGNA PPO too and you're right, it's the worst! I pay $240.00 a month for myself and my spouse. People with kids were raised to $400.00 a month. Our deductible is now $1000.00 and instead of 80/20 it's now 70/30. I take two medications and it costs $75.00 a month for co-pay. My claims are "lost" all the time and the rest of the time they are screwed up. I sent in a claim and highlighted and circled in red that it was paid in full by me at time of visit. CIGNA sent the check to the doctor. I had blood work done at New York University Medical Center last week and they posted a big sign stating that they will accept CIGNA PPO but will no longer accept HMO or POS. I asked the billing clerk why and he said, "because they suck!!!".

Hi. I'm sorry you have the same aggravation with Cigna that we do. I wish I'd win the lottery so I wouldn't have to deal with insurance cos. ever again. I've heard that Blue Cross/Blue Shield is bad too. I just love it when they reimburse the Dr. after we've already paid and then we have to call the Drs. office 50 times in order to get reimbursed from them!!!!!!!!!!!!