Discount plans for individuals and families are available through Cigna, through a local benefits broker or through the Affordable Care Act health exchange.
Coverages and costs vary by plan, but you can include coverage for eye exams, eyewear and other vision-related items.
With more than 17 million medical customers worldwide, Cigna is one of the largest insurance providers in the United States. In addition to health, dental, hearing and other types of insurance, it has a range of vision plans.
Cigna’s vision plans offset the cost of eye exams, corrective eyewear and other vision-related needs.
Cigna offers three types of vision insurance: an indemnity plan, a PPO plan and a discount plan. Customers can only access two of the plans, the indemnity and PPO plans, by participating in an employer-sponsored benefits package that includes CIgna health coverage.
You can sign up for the discount plan by contacting a Cigna agent, through the health exchange or through a local benefits broker.
Cigna offers three types of vision insurance:
Each offers different levels of coverage and carries certain restrictions.
Cigna’s vision indemnity plans reimburse policy holders on the cost of eligible vision expenses. You can use any vision services provider, but you will pay slightly less if you use one of the providers in Cigna’s network.
The indemnity vision plans offer 100-percent coverage for vision and eye health exams. Upgraded plans can include coverage for eyeglasses and contacts. Coverage is limited up to a specific dollar amount per year. The spending cap varies by plan.
You can use this coverage to pay for eye exams and corrective eyewear (if applicable) for yourself, your spouse and any dependents who are enrolled in the plan. If more than one person will be making claims under your policy, any expenses claimed for corrective eyewear may be subject to a shared yearly limit for these items. If one person claims a lot, there may not be enough funds left for other claimants.
Cigna’s vision PPO plans provide coverage for vision services within a specific network of service providers.
This coverage can only be used with in-network providers. If you access care through an eye care provider who is not part of your Cigna network, you will be responsible for paying the full fee for their services.
Eye exams are fully covered, minus a small co-pay. Some plans omit the co-pay, making eye exams free.
Coverage includes eyeglasses and contact lenses up to a certain dollar amount per year. Copays and coverage vary depending on your plan.
Plans with multiple claimants offer a slightly higher yearly limit for corrective eyewear that is shared among all claimants.
The Cigna Flexible Choice Dental, Vision and Hearing Plan is a three-part health services discount plan, which offers members access to special benefits through participating healthcare providers in exchange for a monthly fee. The size of the fee depends on your broker, family size and other considerations.
Some of the vision-related benefits members of this plan receive include:
If you are covered under CIgna’s indemnity or PPO vision insurance plans, you can find out more about your plan using Cigna’s insurance portal. You can get the necessary information to access this portal from your employer’s human resources department. When you access your account, you will be able to review exactly what your plan covers as well as any co-pays or other payments you are responsible for.
You can review your Cigna Flexible Choice Dental, Vision and Hearing Plan coverage at any time on Cigna’s website. All listed discounts apply only when you visit a provider within Cigna’s network for this plan. Be sure to verify that your provider is part of this network before scheduling any eye care appointments.
Cigna’s indemnity and PPO vision insurance plans are only available as part of employer-sponsored benefits packages. They are considered add-on packages and can only be purchased if health insurance is also purchased.
If your employer offers Cigna health and vision insurance and you would like to be included in their group policy, contact your employer’s human resources department. The cost of enrolling in this plan will be deducted from your paychecks.
Cigna’s Flexible Choice Dental, Vision and Hearing Plan can only be accessed through a Cigna agent. You can call the company at 1-(800)-997-1654 to be connected to an agent serving customers in your local area. You can ask the agent you are assigned for more details on plan pricing and ask them to enroll you at this time.
Cigna offers a search tool for in-network vision providers on their website. You can use this tool to find out which providers will accept your Cigna vision insurance in your local area.
Cigna’s Flexible Choice Dental, Vision and Hearing Plan operates through a different network of providers. You can find a provider that honors this plan using a separate search tool also hosted on Cigna’s website.
If you have coverage under a Cigna vision indemnity plan, you may visit any eye care provider you choose. Your coverage may be subject to different restrictions if you choose to do this. Consult your plan before scheduling an appointment with an out-of-network vision care provider to ensure that you can accurately budget for the expenses you will incur.
Last Updated April 19, 2022
Note: This page should not serve as a substitute for professional medical advice from a doctor or specialist. Please review our about page for more information.
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