Cigna offers a range of Medicare Advantage plans, some of which include vision care. The vision benefits include coverage of a vision exam and at least part of the cost of contact lenses or one pair of glasses per year.
Some Cigna Advantage plans allow a person to use either in-network or out-of-network healthcare providers. However, to get the most vision coverage at the lowest price, an individual must choose from in-network providers.
This article introduces Cigna and describes Medicare Advantage. Then, it examines the coverage of Cigna Advantage plans, including the vision benefits. Lastly, it lists the states where the plans are available and gives some examples of plan costs.
Glossary of Medicare terms
We may use a few terms in this article that can be helpful to understand when selecting the best insurance plan:
- Out-of-pocket costs: An out-of-pocket cost is the amount a person must pay for medical care when Medicare does not pay the total cost or offer coverage. These costs can include deductibles, coinsurance, copayments, and premiums.
- Deductible: This is an annual amount a person must spend out of pocket within a certain period before an insurer starts to fund their treatments.
- Coinsurance: This is the percentage of treatment costs that a person must self-fund. For Medicare Part B, this is 20%.
- Copayment: This is a fixed dollar amount a person with insurance pays when receiving certain treatments. For Medicare, this usually applies to prescription drugs.
Cigna is an international health insurance company that offers services and products in more than 30 countries and all 50 states in the United States. They have more than 15 million policyholders.
The company offers a range of Medicare plans, including Medicare Advantage plans, as well as non-Medicare health policies for individuals, families, and business employees.
A person can enroll in a Cigna plan during the Medicare annual open enrollment period (AEP), which runs from October 15 to December 7. If a person chooses a plan during the AEP, it becomes effective on January 1 of the following year.
To contact Cigna, a person can call 1 (800) 997-1654. A deaf person may call 711 and follow the prompts.
It helps to understand Advantage plans by knowing how they fit within Medicare. Original Medicare comprises Part A, which is hospital insurance, and Part B, which is medical insurance.
Part C plans, otherwise known as Medicare Advantage plans, are the alternative to Original Medicare and provide all the benefits of Parts A and B.
In addition, many Advantage plans offer prescription drug coverage, and some include extra benefits, such as vision and dental care. Most plans also have free programs that help people manage their health conditions and develop healthful lifestyle habits.
Medicare Advantage differs from Original Medicare in several ways. Advantage plans usually require an individual to choose from in-network providers, while Original Medicare lets someone choose from any Medicare-enrolled providers. Advantage plans also put a yearly limit on out-of-pocket costs and include benefits that Original Medicare does not cover.
Aside from Medicare parts A, B, and C, Medicare has two other main parts:
A person with an Advantage plan can have neither Part D nor Medigap, as these are only available to those enrolled in Original Medicare.
Learn more about Original Medicare vs. Medicare Advantage.
A person may choose from several Cigna Advantage plans, including:
- Health Maintenance Organization (HMO): HMO plans generally require a person to use in-network providers.
- Health Maintenance Organization Point of Service (HMO-POS): These plans let a person use some out-of-network providers, although often at a higher cost.
- Preferred Provider Organization (PPO): PPO plans give people the flexibility of using either in-network or out-of-network providers. Using the latter will involve higher costs.
- Special Needs Plans (SNPs): SNPs tailor benefits, medications, and providers to the particular needs of individuals with certain chronic diseases.
All the Cigna Advantage plans provide the hospital and medical insurance of Medicare Parts A and B. Most also cover prescription drugs.
Plan perks include:
- telehealth services
- free medication management
- free case managers to help individuals manage their health conditions
- free behavioral and emotional support
- discounts on wellness services, such as yoga products and acupuncture
Some plans also include:
- over-the-counter drug allowance
- one-way transportation to some health services
- dental care
- vision care
- hearing care
Cigna Medicare Advantage plans include all the vision services that Medicare generally covers, including routine eye exams. Other covered services may include glaucoma and diabetic retinal exams, as well as help toward the yearly costs of vision wear, including contacts.
Coverage details vary among plans:
- Cigna HMO and HMO-SNP Advantage plans cover one visual exam and one set of eyeglass lenses and frames per year. They also include contact lenses.
- The PPO and HMO-POS plans have different coverage rules that depend on whether people use in-network or out-of-network providers.
- If someone with a PPO or HMO-POS plan uses an in-network provider, the coverage is comparable to that of HMO and HMO-SNP plans.
- If a person with a PPO or HMO-POS plan uses an out-of-network provider, they might not get coverage or may have to pay more for the service.
Cigna plans are available in all 50 states. As of 2024, Nevada was added to the list of Cigna coverage, officially expanding their reach to all 50 states.
They also expanded their Medicare Advantage plans for the fifth year in a row. Cigna Advantage plans are now available in 603 counties across 28 states and Washington D.C.
The following states are covered under Cigna Advantage plans:
- Washington
- Oregon
- Utah
- Arizona
- Colorado
- New Mexico
- Kansas
- Oklahoma
- Texas
- Missouri
- Arkansas
- Illinois
- Kentucky
- Tennessee
- Mississippi
- Alabama
- Georgia
- Florida
- North Carolina
- South Carolina
- Virginia
- Maryland
- Deleware
- Ohio
- Pennsylvania
- New Jersey
- Connecticut
- New York
People with an Advantage plan must pay the Medicare Part B premium, which is $174.70 in 2024. Other out-of-pocket costs include the Advantage plan premium, copays, coinsurance, and deductibles. A person’s costs depend on their plan and the state where they live.
The table below shows some plans and costs in several U.S. cities.
A person can compare Cigna Medicare Advantage plans, including the ones below, by using this online search tool and entering the relevant zip code.
| City | Plan name | Monthly premium | Primary care doctor visit copay | Specialist visit copay | Inpatient hospitalization copay | Out-of-pocket yearly limit |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Philadelphia, PA Zip: 19019 | Cigna Courage Medicare (HMO) | $0 | $0 | $25 | •$295 per day for days 1–7 •$0 for days 8–90 | $5,900 |
| Phoenix, AZ Zip: 85001 | Cigna Achieve Medicare (HMO C-SNP) | $0 | $0 | $15 | •$225 per day for days 1–7 •$0 for days 8–90 | $3,100 |
| Denver, CO Zip: 80014 | Cigna True Choice Medicare (PPO) | $0 | •$0 (in-network) •$40 (out of network) | •$30 (in-network) *$60 (out of network) | •$285 per day for days 1–5 •$0 for days 6–90 (in-network) | $5,200 (in-network) |
| Mobile, AL Zip: 36525 | Cigna Preferred Medicare (HMO) | $0 | $0 | $15 | •$310 per day for days 1–6 •$0 for days 7–90 | $4,900 |
| Charlotte, NC Zip: 28202 | Cigna TotalCare (HMO D-SNP) | $0 | $0 | $0 | $1,640 per stay | $8,850 |
Medicare resources
For more resources to help guide you through the complex world of medical insurance, visit our Medicare hub.
Cigna Medicare Advantage plans offer the same hospital and medical insurance as Original Medicare. Many of the Cigna plans also offer prescription drug coverage, and some include extra benefits, such as vision care. The extent of vision coverage varies among the plans.
The costs of the plans vary widely. People looking for a plan may wish to compare the prices of the options in their area before making a choice.