Recently, Cigna Healthcare announced an update to its national medical policy for sleep testing. The new policy, which took effect February 15, 2013 requires preauthorization for all sleep related services. Cigna has contracted with a company called CareCentrix to handle the preauthorization process. The AASM began receiving complaints from members about Cigna’s new policy almost immediately after it was implemented. Members have reported an inability to add out of center sleep testing (OCST) services to their existing Cigna contracts. Additionally, members report that in-center testing is regularly denied for patients with co-morbidities for whom OCST would be inappropriate.
Oh behalf of the membership, AASM leadership has taken a strong stance with Cigna. In a letter sent April 16, the AASM has demanded that Cigna take action immediately to improve its OCST contracting and sleep testing preauthorization processes.
