Friday, May 22, 2009

C.I.G.N.A. - Caring Is Generally Not Acceptable












Let me start by saying, that I have a job. I book travel for my client's executives. That said…please understand that I pay my premiums. I pay my deductibles. I play by the rules. Cigna, my insurance provider, does not.


Cigna proved to me today that they are NOT in the "business of caring". They ARE, however, in the business of making their policy holders micro-manage their health care to the point of lunacy. More directly, they are not in the business of caring at all. Let me explain...


On my current plan for prescriptions, I am to pay a yearly one-time deductible of $50 in addition to my RX co-pay. This was paid on my first prescription in January. Since then Cigna has tried to charge me my yearly deductible EVERY SINGLE MONTH. Here is how that goes... I call in the prescription. I drive over to pick it up. They tell me it cost some outrageous amount. It never fails that it's on a weekend or a holiday of some sort. The following business day I spend at least an hour on the phone, while at work mind you, to "resolve" the matter. Cigna has admitted to me on every occasion that it is a system issue that can be fixed. Every month since January, Cigna has promised me that this issue will be resolved and every month it's the same tired routine.


Then today there was Maura, Sherry, and Nicole...

All three are designated as Customer Relations Supervisors. Each and every one of these reps REFUSED to put another authorization for the correct co-pay amount on my account. They said it should not have been done in the past because it doesn't solve the issue and that they (would not) do it again. I explained to all of them that I could not afford the increased co-pay and wait on a reimbursement. I explained that Cigna already owes me $50 from a February over-charge which I have yet to see. I also explained that I could NOT miss taking the medication under any circumstances. I further explained that the medication was NOT an optional one. Their reply: "Well, that's all we can tell you. I'm sorry." Sorry they say… Sorry that I will get gravely ill if I don't have the medication? Sorry that Cigna is too stupid to have resolved this issue 5 months ago when I first brought it to their attention or in any of the following months? Sorry that because it's the Friday of a holiday weekend they could care less? Sorry that they every rep I've spoken to in the last 5 months didn't know how to actually do their job? Sorry that Cigna and its "caring" reps refused to assist me today? Sorry for what, I wonder.


It's clear to me after today that Cigna is not at all in the business of caring as they say. I am not basing my conclusion on one, two, or even three situations. I'm basing my conclusion on 5 months, 16 Cigna representatives, 4 Cigna Managers, 1 Cigna Site Director (who finally told Nicole to do her job and provide me with an override today), 3.5hrs in phone conversations all while on my job, 15 calls to CVS to make sure everything was correct, 2 emails to my company about the issue, 3 phone calls to my company about this, 0 actual solutions to this ongoing problem, and 1 Cigna Manager out of 4 that offered a sincere apology (last month). The numbers are in and it's not pretty.


Cigna 1 Consumer 0


Stay Free… if your healthcare company will let you!