Cigna Medicare Advantage Plans Review

Fact Checked
Medicare rating: 4 stars AM Best financial strength rating: A- BBB rating: Not rated NCQA rating: 2.5 to 4 stars Consumer Affairs rating: 3.8 J.D. Power ranking: Number 9 in the top 10

Quick Cigna Medicare Advantage Plans review: While Cigna Medicare Advantage Plans are not yet available in all states, those who have access can take advantage of the low copays and broad range of services they offer.

With more than 180 million customers worldwide, Cigna has been a leading insurance provider for over 225 years. While access to its services had been limited in the past, the company has recently taken steps to expand to 26 states and the District of Columbia with a broader range of coverage.

Cigna is one of the most affordable Medicare Advantage options available with easy access to the basic coverages of Original Medicare plus a range of other services. While its non-HMO options have been limited in the past, Cigna has improved access to a more flexible selection of plan types. Before choosing a Cigna Medicare Advantage Plan, compare the options available in your area.

Pros and Cons of Cigna Medicare Advantage Plans

What we like about Cigna Medicare Advantage plans: The drawbacks of Cigna Medicare Advantage plans:
  • $0 copay when using virtual care or visiting your primary care physician
  • Recent network growth
  • Original Medicare coverage plus dental, vision, and hearing
  • Behavioral health care and preventative care
  • Only available in 26 states and Washington, D.C.
  • Not many PPO options available

What Do Cigna Medicare Advantage Plans Cover?

Also called Medicare Part C, Medicare Advantage Plans combine Part A and B benefits with various extra services. Most United Healthcare Medicare Advantage Plans include:

  • Prescription drug coverage
  • Vision
  • Dental
  • Hearing
  • Wellness benefits, such as free gym memberships
  • Medical transportation (some plans)
  • Wellness over-the-counter medications (some plans).

If you have certain chronic medical conditions, such as cancer or Alzheimer’s, you may qualify for a Medicare Advantage Special Needs Plan that serves a specific population group. With Medicare Advantage, you continue to pay your Original Medicare premiums. In many cases, there’s no additional cost.

Cigna Medicare Advantage Plan Options

Cigna offers three major Medicare Advantage Plans, including two HMOs and one PPO option. The first HMO plan, Cigna Preferred Medicare, has the lowest out-of-pocket costs, although you have to choose a primary care physician and stay within the pre approved provider network. The Cigna Premier Medicare plan is an HMO-POS, which offers many of the same advantages of a regular HMO plan, but gives you more options when choosing a specialist outside of the network.

Cigna True Choice Medicare is a PPO plan with a higher cost but the greatest flexibility when choosing a provider. Like the two HMO plans, it has a $0 monthly premium and annual deductible.

Compare your Cigna Medicare Advantage Plan options before making a decision:

Plan name Monthly premium Annual deductible Office visits Annual maximum out-of-pocket cost
Cigna Preferred Medicare (HMO) $0 $0 $0 PCP/$25 specialist $2,500
Cigna Premier Medicare (HMO-POS) $0 $0 $0 PCP/$35 specialist $4,200
Cigna True Choice Medicare (PPO) $0 $0 $0 PCP/$40 specialist $45,900 in network

$8,950 in and out of network

*Based on pricing in Chicago, IL for 2023

Cigna Medicare Advantage Plans Reviews and Ratings

According to reviews of the insurer, Cigna provides a consistent, trustworthy service that customers can rely on. But in some cases, reviews are more neutral than wholeheartedly positive, and Cigna has also received a number of customer complaints over the years.

Trusted ratings and reviews can help you understand how an insurer’s plans stack up against the competition. See how Medicare, A.M. Best, the Better Business Bureau and more rate Cigna Medicare Advantage plans.

Medicare rating: 4 stars Cigna’s 2023 Medicare Advantage plans are rated 4 stars from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). CMS star ratings reflect insurer’s quality of preventive services and chronic condition management, as well as customer satisfaction indicators.
A.M. Best financial strength rating: A A.M. Best is a credit rating agency specializing in the insurance industry. In May 2022, A.M. Best affirmed its Financial Strength Rating of A (Excellent) for Cigna Corporation and its subsidiaries.

An A rating indicates stability to meet ongoing obligations.

BBB rating: Not Rated Cigna is not accredited or rated by the Better Business Bureau, but there have been 775 closed complaints in the last three years, 390 closed consumer complaints in the last 12 months.
NCQA rating: 2.5 to 4 stars According to the National Committee for Quality Assurance, overall satisfaction ratings for Medicare plans issued by Cigna ranged from 2.5 to 4 stars. Lower scores were related to customer satisfaction, and highest scores to prevention and treatment.
Consumer Affairs rating: 3.8 Consumer Affairs gave Cigna a rating of 3.8 stars in 2023 based on 1,116 consumer ratings and reviews. Reviews are mixed, with some beneficiaries citing frustrations with complex care needs and claims processing. According to Consumer Affairs, claims are in process of resolution. Cigna received positive reviews for their dental care benefit.
J.D. Power ranking: 9th out of the top 10 In its 2022 Medicare Advantage Study, J.D. Power measured Medicare Advantage Plan satisfaction based on coverage and benefits, provider choice, cost, customer service, information and communication, and billing and payment. Cigna scored 790 points out of 1,000 and came in seventh out of the top 10 Medicare Advantage providers.
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Certified Senior Advisor (CSA)Ⓡ

As a health care professional since 1987, Kelly Blackwell has walked alongside and cared for seniors as they journey through the season of their fourth quarter of life. Blackwell holds a Bachelor of Science in nursing from the University of Northern Colorado, a Master of Science in health care administration from Grand Canyon University, an interprofessional graduate certificate in palliative care from the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus and holds a Certified Senior Advisor® credential from the Society of Certified Senior Advisors.

Blackwell contributes to the University of Colorado-Anschutz blog and has been published in “The Human Touch” distributed by the University of Colorado Center for Bioethics and Humanities. She cowrote “Dying Is” for Pathways Hospice.

A registered nurse, Blackwell understands health insurance choices influence quality of life and are driven by values, goals, and beliefs. She’s passionate about engaging with, educating, and empowering seniors as they navigate the health care system. She’s equipped to lend an experienced, compassionate voice to beneficiaries seeking information about Medicare Advantage Plans.

As a CSAⓇ, Blackwell has access to valuable resources for Medicare beneficiaries. Her work as a bedside nurse and clinical manager has given her the opportunity to see how Medicare rules, regulations, and benefits work when patients need them. With a passion to learn and to make a difference in the lives of seniors, Blackwell supports seniors through Medicare and fourth-quarter life decisions.

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