A Connecticut medical practice has sued Cigna alleging the health insurer wrongfully refused to pay for members' COVID-19 testing, according to Law360.
Steven A.R. Murphy, MD, of Murphy Medical Associates claims Cigna told 4,400 members that Dr. Murphy offers fraudulent COVID-19 testing sites and they would need to pay out of pocket if they were tested there. More than 28,000 patients have been tested at COVID-19 testing sites set up by Dr. Murphy's medical practices, according to the report.
The lawsuit, filed Nov. 6 and pending in U.S. District Court for the District of Connecticut, alleges Cigna denied the claims before Dr. Murphy had an opportunity to respond to the insurer's requests for medical records.
The physician alleges Cigna is violating the Families First Coronavirus Response Act, the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act, the ACA, and various Employee Retirement Income Security Act provisions by refusing to cover the claims for COVID-19 testing.
Legal counsel information for Cigna was not immediately available, according to the report.