All Insurance Companies Are Not Created Equally

Oh, Cigna! I am so grateful to have you for our health insurance again this year. I know, I know...there are going to be people who don't love you for whatever reason...but based on my experience, you are one of the best to deal with.

For many years my job entailed educating physicians about navigating care for a specific group of high-risk patients. I learned the ins and outs of many insurers...what kinds of policies they had, how relatively easy or difficult they were to work with for patients and providers, and how accessible they were.

I always felt fortunate to have Cigna for our care. Then my employer made a change to another insurer. They were also a good company, but I missed the genuine care and compassion of Cigna representatives. This year I had a choice between Cigna and two other insurers. I called all of them and asked about the basics: what services were in place to support us during the transition, which of our current providers were "in-network," and when they were open for business. I also noted how long I sat on hold, the knowledge level of the representative, resources offered, and the amount of empathy and understanding the representative had.

I then completed an analysis of our estimated costs with each plan based on the benefits offered (some of the plans were employer-sponsored and some were offered through the private health exchange). Cigna was not the cheapest. In fact, it will likely cost us a few thousand dollars more each year. BUT I know that they will be easy to work with, care about me and my son, and will simplify getting what we need. I don't feel like a number...but I get a reference number for calls that require follow-up. As with many things in life, you get what you pay for. So for me, this is worth the extra cost.

And now we are back. They have made the transition very easy, with little paperwork and a lot of support. One of the best things about them is that they answer their phones round-the-clock - which matters to me because medical issues don't just occur between 9am-5pm EST!