Denial, Denial, Denial - Cigna settlement

Judge Approves $2.4M Cigna Autism Denial Class Action Settlement

Hello All......I found a new spin on why insurance denies claims for Applied Behavior Analysis therapy for the treatment of Autism.   In a class action lawsuit settled in November of 2013,  the plaintiff Kristopher Churchill of Pennsylvania claimed that the services were denied by Cigna as the treatment was considered experimental for autism.  

"The $2.4 million class action settlement fund will compensate an estimated 350 to 400 Class Members. A final approval hearing has been set for Feb. 9 in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania.

The Cigna ABA Denial Class Action Lawsuit is Churchill, et al. v. Cigna Corp., et al., Case No. 2:10-cv-06911, in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania."

The first step to fighting the insurance company is to obtain a copy of the insurance contract between your organization and the insurer.  This is where you will find their loopholes.  

For more on this story,  click here http://www.topclassactions.com/lawsuit-settlements/lawsuit-news/5292-judge-approves-2-4m-cigna-aba-denial-class-action-settlement/

There is a great article from the NYTimes called, "A Health Insurance Insider Offers Words of Advice" By Walencia Konrad Published: February 18, 2011.  It is about the experiences of Wendall Potter, who wrote "Deadly Spins", which was a book about the behind-the-scenes discussion at large insurance carriers.

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/02/19/health/19patient.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0

In a related article about Mr. Potter, an excerpt about his book reads,

"The most moving section is devoted to Nataline Sarkisyan. We learn that executives at Cigna worried that Nataline’s situation would only add fire to the growing public discontent with a health care system anchored by private insurance. As the case drew more national attention, the threat of a legislative overhaul that would ban for-profit insurers became real, and Mr. Potter found himself working on the biggest P.R. campaign of his career."

If this book doesn't move you to fight for change and rights, nothing will......

Deadly Spin: An Insurance Company Insider Speaks Out on How Corporate PR Is Killing Health Care and Deceiving Americans