New York Settlement Forces Cigna To Cover Nutritional Counseling For People With Eating Disorders

In January 2014, the New York Attorney General (NYAG) entered a settlement agreement with Cigna which forces the insurer to cover nutritional counseling prescribed as treatment for its New York members diagnosed with eating disorders. The NYAG had received a consumer complaint alleging that Cigna had improperly denied coverage for nutritional counseling needed as part of mental health treatment related to an eating disorder diagnosis.

The consumer sought coverage for nutritional counseling in 2011 and 2012 as part of the treatment for the diagnosed eating disorder. Cigna denied all but three of the 25 nutritional counseling claims, citing a three . . .