Start With Customer Services We are here to listen and help. If you have a concern regarding a person, a service, the quality of care, or contractual benefits, you may call the toll-free number on your ID card, explanation of benefits, or claim form and explain your concern to one of our Customer Service representatives. You may also express that concern in writing. We will do our best to resolve the matter on your initial contact. If we need more time to review or investigate your concern, we will get back to you as soon as possible, but in any case within 30 days. If you are not satisfied with the results of a coverage decision, you may start the appeals procedure. Internal Appeals Procedure To initiate an appeal, you must submit a request for an appeal in writing to Cigna within 180 days of receipt of a denial notice. You should state the reason why you feel your appeal should be approved and include any information supporting your appeal. If you are unable or choose not to write, you may ask Cigna to register your appeal by telephone. Call or write us at the toll-free number on your ID card, explanation of benefits, or claim form. Your appeal will be reviewed and the decision made by someone not involved in the initial decision. Appeals involving Medical Necessity or clinical appropriateness will be considered by a health care professional. We will respond in writing with a decision within 30 calendar days after we receive an appeal for a postservice coverage determination. If more time or information is needed to make the determination, we will notify you in writing to request an extension of up to 15 calendar days and to specify any additional information needed to complete the review. Notice of Benefit Determination on Appeal Every notice of a determination on appeal will be provided in writing or electronically and, if an adverse determination, will include: the specific reason or reasons for the adverse determination; reference to the specific plan provisions on which the determination is based; a statement that the claimant is entitled to receive, upon request and free of charge, reasonable access to and copies of all documents, records, and other Relevant Information as defined below; a statement describing any voluntary appeal procedures offered by the plan and the claimant’s right to bring an action under ERISA section 502(a), if applicable; upon request and free of charge, a copy of any internal rule, guideline, protocol or other similar criterion that was relied upon in making the adverse determination regarding your appeal, and an explanation of the scientific or clinical judgment for a determination that is based
determination that is based on a Medical Necessity, experimental treatment or other similar exclusion or limit; and in the case of a claim involving urgent care, a description of the expedited review process applicable to such claim.
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Appointment of Authorized Representative You may appoint an authorized representative to assist you in submitting a claim or appealing a claim denial. However, Cigna may require you to designate your authorized representative in writing using a form approved by Cigna. At all times, the appointment of an authorized representative is revocable by you. To ensure that a prior appointment remains valid, Cigna may require you to re-appoint your authorized representative, from time to time. Cigna reserves the right to refuse to honor the appointment of a representative if Cigna reasonably determines that: • the signature on an authorized representative form may not be yours, or • the authorized representative may not have disclosed to you all of the relevant facts and circumstances relating to the overpayment or underpayment of any claim, including, for example, that the billing practices of the provider of medical services may have jeopardized your coverage through the waiver of the cost-sharing amounts that you are required to pay under your plan. If your designation of an authorized representative is revoked, or Cigna does not honor your designation, you may appoint a new authorized representative at any time, in writing, using a form approved by Cigna.
HC-FED88
01-17
Dental - When You Have a Complaint or an Appeal For the purposes of this section, any reference to “you” or “your” also refers to a representative or provider designated by you to act on your behalf, unless otherwise noted. We want you to be completely satisfied with the care you receive. That is why we have established a process for addressing your concerns and solving your problems.
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