New Jersey imaging provider sues Cigna over $400,000 in denied COVID-related claims

A New Jersey radiology provider filed suit against Cigna on Wednesday, claiming the insurance giant improperly denied nearly $400,000 in claims for COVID-related diagnostics and treatment.

Rochelle Park-based Open MRI Imaging said it submitted several invoices to the payer between February and July. But the insurer refused to pay up, issuing “unelaborated denials” or contending that the bills were “duplicative” in some instances.

Open MRI and its attorney, Peter Nichols, said the center “faithfully rendered the services” in said invoices. They’re asking a federal judge to force Cigna to pay the $398,665 owed, along with any corresponding interest, attorney’s fees and other costs.  

“The grounds for rejecting plaintiff's claims were, upon information and belief, false and invalid," the complaint states, adding that the parties believe Cigna has violated terms spelled out in the CARES Act.

Law360 first reported the lawsuit. You can read more about the claim from the news website below.

Marty Stempniak

Marty Stempniak has covered healthcare since 2012, with his byline appearing in the American Hospital Association's member magazine, Modern Healthcare and McKnight's. Prior to that, he wrote about village government and local business for his hometown newspaper in Oak Park, Illinois. He won a Peter Lisagor and Gold EXCEL awards in 2017 for his coverage of the opioid epidemic. 

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