Court Dismisses CIGNA Settlement Appeals

Lawyers began organizing suits, which accuse managed care companies of working together to lower and delay payments to doctors, in 1999. The federal courts put many of the suits under Moreno’s jurisdiction in October 2000.

The settlement agreement calls for CIGNA to improve communications with doctors, and to clarify and streamline its system for handling claims. The parties involved have estimated that the changes in practices have a value of about $400 million.

CIGNA also has agreed to pay doctors a minimum of $85 million and to help start a health care foundation and a physician advisory committee.