Cigna Insurance Coverage

Right now, nothing changes. You can continue to see your UConn Health doctors, receive services at UConn John Dempsey Hospital, and receive care as you normally would. If an agreement is not reached by April 30, 2026, UConn Health will become out-of-network with Cigna.

No. Behavioral health and dental coverage are excluded from this negotiation, and those services will remain in network.

We have been working with Cigna for several months to secure a fair contract that adequately covers the true cost of delivering high-quality care. As Connecticut’s only public academic medical center, we are committed to continuing our service to this community, and we urge Cigna to prioritize its members’ access to the providers they know and trust.

If an agreement is not reached, UConn Health will be out-of-network with Cigna, meaning your out-of-pocket costs could increase. However, some patients may qualify for Continuity of Care benefits, allowing them to continue treatment at in-network rates for a limited time. Contact Cigna at 800-244-6224 to see if you qualify.

Continuity of Care benefits allow patients to continue receiving care at in-network rates for a period of time, even if their provider is out-of-network with their health insurance company. Typically, patients who are either undergoing treatment for cancer or another critical illness, are in their second or third trimester of pregnancy, or who are in their postoperative period, may be eligible for Continuity of Care benefits. Contact Cigna at 800-244-6224 to learn more.

You will maintain in-network coverage through April 30, 2026. If an agreement is not reached by that date and you wish to seek care after April 30, please contact Cigna to inquire about your out-of-network benefits. After April 30, seeking care at UConn Health may result in higher out-of-pocket costs to you. To continue using services at UConn Health with your out-of-network benefits, please call your doctor’s office as soon as possible to let them know you would like to continue care using these benefits.

Yes, if you would like to continue to receive services and pay for them out-of-pocket without utilizing your insurance, please call your doctor’s office as soon as possible to let them know you would like to continue care without the use of your insurance.

We are continuing to negotiate for a new agreement with Cigna. You will have in-network access through April 30, 2026, and should keep any appointments you have scheduled through that date. There may be a need to cancel appointments for dates on or after May 1, 2026, if we do not reach an agreement with Cigna in the coming weeks.

UConn Health is canceling Cigna patient appointments scheduled after April 30, 2026. As of that date, we will be considered out-of-network with Cigna. As a result, visits may no longer be covered at in-network rates, potentially increasing your out-of-pocket costs.

If you have out-of-network benefits, we recommend contacting Cigna to confirm your coverage. If you have the option to use out-of-network benefits and choose to proceed with care, you may call UConn Health to reschedule your appointment—just inform our scheduling staff of your out-of-network status.

Yes! Emergency care is always covered at in-network rates and is not affected by the negotiation. If you or a loved one experiences a medical emergency, please go to the nearest emergency room, which includes UConn John Dempsey Hospital.

These negotiations affect UConn John Dempsey Hospital and UConn Medical Group. All providers and facilities that are part of the recent Waterbury acquisition from Prospect are not affected and remain in network. This includes UConn Health Waterbury Hospital, UConn Health Waterbury Health at Home, and UConn Health Community Network Medical Group.

You can help by calling Cigna and letting them know how important it is to keep UConn Health in-network. Their phone number can be found on the back of your insurance card.

For more details and updates, call us at 860-679-0199.

We appreciate your trust in us and remain committed to providing you with the highest quality care.

Yes, this would impact all providers across inpatient and outpatient facilities for UConn John Dempsey Hospital and UConn Medical Group. This does not affect providers and facilities that are part of the recent Waterbury acquisition from Prospect, including UConn Health Waterbury Hospital, UConn Health Waterbury Health at Home, and UConn Health Community Network Medical Group.

Without an agreement by April 30, 2026, any admissions on or after May 1 would be out of network, and Cigna patients should not be admitted. In rare exceptions, patients may give us written consent to use their out-of-network benefits. Out-of-network benefits must be confirmed in advance prior to admission.

The remaining exception to this exclusion is if your patient has been approved for Continuity of Care; in that case, the patient would remain in-network at UConn Health on or after May 1 for a limited period of time.

Providers who have admitting rights at other hospitals will still be considered out-of-network at those facilities on or after May 1 and would need to obtain advanced patient consent for use of their out-of-network benefits to perform services at those facilities. If the patient has no out-of-network benefits, those admissions should be declined, as there will be no source of payment for services rendered.

Out-of-network benefits depend on the health insurance plan, but patients typically can expect to pay more for care, up to 100% of the costs out of pocket. If we do not reach an agreement before April 30, 2026, patients should contact Cigna to learn more about their out-of-network benefits before seeking care at UConn Health.

If we are unable to reach an agreement with Cigna, patients who are not qualified for continuity of care and who do not choose to use their out-of-network benefits should be transitioned to a non-UConn Health provider. A limited number of patients may be eligible to remain at UConn Health for continuity of care at in-network rates, including those in active treatment for a serious or life-threatening condition, in the second or third trimester of pregnancy, or in the postoperative period. Should your patient need to initiate a continuity of care request with Cigna, they can call Cigna at the Member Services number listed on their Cigna ID card.