Cigna Medicare Supplement Insurance Review

Cigna Health and Life Insurance Company is a global health insurance company that has offered private Medicare Supplement insurance, health, and dental insurance to individuals and families since 1982. While Cigna subsidiaries don’t always provide the most competitive pricing for Medigap insurance policies, they offer a healthy rewards program and other enticing extras like discounts on gym memberships.

Key Features of Cigna Medicare Supplement Plans

• Cigna Medigap policies aim to reduce out-of-pocket costs to make health care more affordable for Medicare beneficiaries.
• Eliminating or minimizing deductibles, coinsurance, and copayments can also simplify your health care.
• They offer Medigap policies in most states, but not all ten standardized plans are offered.
• Enhanced 15% total household discount
• Gym membership with the Active & Fit Direct Program (plus a $25 enrollment fee and applicable taxes)

Pros and Cons of Cigna Medicare Supplement Plans

• Pros

  • Top 3 Medigap plans offered in most states
  • High-deductible Plan F
  • Guaranteed renewalable for life
  • Favorable A.M. Best ratings for financial strength
  • Online portal for easy access to ID cards & plan information
  • Health and wellness Rewards discount program
  • 24/7 Health Information Line
  • A reputable name in the insurance industry
  • Discounts for holding multiple Cigna insurance policies
  • No referral is needed unless required by Medicare

• Cons

  • Limited plan options
  • Not always the most competitive rates
  • Customer service is sometimes lacking

Reviews and Customer Complaints

Cigna isn’t Better Business Bureau (BBB) accredited. There is still a BBB listing with customer reviews holding various plan types. The listing averages 1.5 out of 5 possible stars.

Common complaints:

• Unfair claim denials
• Difficulty reaching customer service
• Disrespectful customer service interactions
• Long hold times for customer service
• Difficulty canceling policies
• Delays in reimbursements/refunds

In addition to not always offering the most competitive rates for Medigap policies, Cigna also struggles with customer care. When contacting the insurer, your experience may depend on where you live and what issue you’re trying to resolve.

That said, Cigna does have impressive results when authoritative agencies issue a rating for financial strength. AM Best ratings for many of their subsidiaries fall in the A to A- range.

Cigna Medicare Supplement Plan Options and Costs

Cigna offers Medigap plans A, F, G, and N plus a high-deductible version of Plan F. Plan A may offer a lower premium option, but it also offers significantly fewer benefits. It covers basic coinsurance and copayments for Medicare Part A and Part B but not much more. The more comprehensive policies are the most popular across the country because they offer more value in exchange for reasonable monthly premiums.

Let’s take a closer look at today’s three most popular Cigna Medicare Supplement insurance policies available for enrollment.

Cigna Medicare Supplement Plan F

Medigap Plan F covers all the benefits listed above, including the Medicare Part B deductible. It’s the only plan that still includes that deductible, but eligibility is limited to beneficiaries who qualified for Medicare coverage prior to January 1, 2020. See details for Plan G below if you want a comprehensive supplement policy but aren’t eligible for Plan F.

Plan F comes with the highest monthly premiums because it maximizes coverage. You can save on the premium if you select the high-deductible Plan F. That policy offers the same benefits, but you must pay a higher deductible out of pocket before receiving those benefits.

Cigna Medicare Supplement Plan G

Medigap Plan G covers all benefits Plan F offers except the Part B deductible. This is the most comprehensive plan option for beneficiaries who qualify to receive Medicare on or after January 1, 2020. Most beneficiaries enrolling in Cigna Medicare Supplement plans today will qualify for Plan G but not Plan F.

Cigna Medigap Plan G rates are a bit lower than Plan F rates. Cigna is a large insurance company with competitive rates, but their rates are slightly higher than some other insurers in most states. High-deductible Plan G is currently not offered by Cigna.

Cigna Medicare Supplement Plan N

Medigap Plan N covers most out-of-pocket Medicare expenses with the following exceptions:

• No coverage for Part B excess charges
• No coverage for the Part B deductible
• Requires copay of up to $20 for some doctor’s office visits
• Requires copay of up to $50 for emergency room visits (waived if admitted)

All other expenses included in the general list of Medigap policy coverage above are covered under Cigna Plan N. That includes 80% of foreign travel emergency medical expenses. All Medigap policies have a $250 annual deductible for emergency care in a foreign country. To qualify for coverage, the charges must occur within the first 60 days of your trip abroad.

Medigap Costs:

On average, you should expect to pay between $100 and $200 per month for Plan G. If that amount is too much, however, Cigna offers a high-deductible option in certain states with significantly lower premiums but a higher annual deductible.

Below is an average for Plan F, G, and N for various ages and locations:

Medigap Plan	Premium	Gender/Age	State
Plan G	$105.62	Male age 65	TX
Plan F	$195.00	Female age 70	OH
Plan N	$91.46	Female age 65	PA
High G	n/a	n/a	FL
Plan A	$185.93	Male age 65	CA

What Do Cigna Medicare Supplements Cover?

Cigna Medicare Supplement insurance plans cover medical expenses not covered by Original Medicare (Parts A and B). Each plan has a standardized list of benefits that are determined by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). That means every plan carries the same benefits regardless of the insurer. Cigna has no control over what each Medigap policy covers.

There are currently five Cigna Medigap plan options available in most states, including the high-deductible version of Plan F. We’ll go into the details of what each policy covers benefits in a moment.

Medicare Supplement plans offered by Cigna are designed to cover the following out-of-pocket expenses:

• Medicare Part A deductible
• Medicare Part B deductible
• Medicare Part B excess charges
• Medicare Part A coinsurance and copayments
• Medicare Part B coinsurance and copayments
• Up to 365 additional days of inpatient hospital costs
• First 3 pints of blood
• Hospice care coinsurance, copayments
• Skilled nursing facility care coinsurance
• Foreign travel emergency medical care

How many of these benefits you receive will depend on your chosen Cigna Medicare Supplement insurance policy. Plans F and G are the most comprehensive options.

Side Note: Minnesota, Massachusetts, and Wisconsin have different standardized plans than the rest of the country. Cigna offers suitable Medigap insurance policies for each of those states.

Ready to Learn More?

Choosing the right Medicare Plan is not a decision that should be taken lightly. With Policy Guide’s assistance, you will have access to the knowledge and expertise of professional agents who can help you compare different health plans, prices, and policies to ensure that you make an informed decision. Let us guide you through this process, so that your chosen plan best suits your needs.

Article Resources

• Key Features of Cigna Medicare Supplement Plans
• What Do Cigna Medicare Supplements Cover?
• How to Compare Medigap Policies