What is Cigna Healthcare's timely filing limit for initial claims?

Cigna Healthcare enforces an initial claim timely filing deadline of 90 calendar days from Date of Service (participating providers).

How many days do you have to appeal a denial with Cigna Healthcare?

Appeals and payment disputes with Cigna Healthcare must be filed within 180 calendar days from date of initial payment or denial.

What is the secondary claim timely filing limit for Cigna Healthcare?

Secondary claims for Cigna Healthcare must be submitted within 90 days from primary payer EOB date.

Cigna Commercial / Medicare Advantage 90 Days Limit

Cigna Healthcare Timely Filing Limit & Appeal Deadlines

Official filing rules, submission windows, appeal timeframes, and acceptable electronic clearinghouse proof for billing Cigna Healthcare.

Initial Claim Limit

90 Days from DOS

Secondary Claim Limit

90 Days from EOB

Level 1 Appeal Limit

180 Days

Level 2 Dispute Limit

90 Days

1. Initial Claim Submission Deadline

90 calendar days from Date of Service (participating providers)

Clean electronic 837P or 837I claims must be received and acknowledged by Cigna Healthcare within this window. If a claim is rejected on front-end clearinghouse validation (Level 2), it is not considered received by Cigna Healthcare until corrected and successfully re-transmitted.

2. Specific Filing Rules for Cigna

In-network providers have 90 calendar days from date of service; out-of-network providers have 180 days.

Corrected claims must be received within 180 days of initial adjudication.

Secondary claims require copy of primary EOB; must be received within 90 days of primary remittance.

Appeals submitted after 180 days will be dismissed without clinical review.

3. Accepted Proof of Timely Filing

Official Proof Required by Cigna

Clearinghouse 277CA acceptance report, Post Office certified mail receipt, or Cigna for Healthcare Professionals (CignaforHCP.com) electronic confirmation.

Important: Screenshots from your internal billing software or electronic health record (EHR) showing the date a claim was created are not accepted by Cigna as proof of submission. You must supply clearinghouse 277CA acceptance reports.

4. Appeal Letter Template for Cigna

Use this standardized appeal letter to overturn a CO-29 timely filing denial when you have verifiable clearinghouse proof:

RE: Timely Filing Denial Appeal (CO-29)
Payer: Cigna Healthcare
Patient Name: [Patient Name] | Member ID: [Member ID]
Date of Service: [Date of Service] | Claim ID: [Claim Number]
Billed Charges: $[Billed Amount]

Dear Appeals Coordinator,

We are submitting this formal appeal in response to the timely filing denial (CO-29) issued on the Explanation of Benefits dated [Remittance Date]. Under our participating agreement with Cigna Healthcare, the timely filing limit is 90 calendar days from the date of service.

The original claim was electronically transmitted and received prior to the timely filing limit expiration. Enclosed please find Exhibit A: The clearinghouse Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) 277CA Claims Acknowledgment Report confirming successful gateway acceptance on [Date of Initial EDI Transmission] with Payer Claim Control Number [ICN / CCN].

Because this documentation constitutes conclusive objective proof of timely electronic submission, we respectfully request that the claim be reprocessed and approved for reimbursement.

Sincerely,
[Billing Manager / Practice Representative]
[Practice Name]
[Phone Number]