Cigna expands liposuction coverage under ERISA class settlement.
Cigna Health & Life Insurance Co. has expanded its specialty liposuction coverage and will reprocess claims for coverage for lipoedema patients whose claims were previously denied, according to a class settlement filed in the Northern District of California.
The settlement, which is expected to benefit more than 239 people, was reached after Cigna opted to change its policy on liposuction coverage following Banafsheh Akhlaghi’s lawsuit raising claims under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act. Cigna’s “post-litigation reversal”, in which he now finds liposuction to be a medically necessary treatment for lipedema if certain criteria are met.
