Cigna Healthcare’s customer service team is dedicated to helping all members of our health plan navigate the health care system so they can access the care they need. For people living with complex health conditions and who rely on multiple clinicians, hospitals, and pharmacies, the My Personal Champion program offers specialized assistance to address their needs.

The program offers each eligible customer a dedicated advocate who serves as a single point of contact, delivering personalized guidance and support. These Personal Champions educate individuals about their health benefits and care options, oversee the application of their benefits plan, review claims, and identify clinical and local resources for extra support.

Behind the scenes, the Personal Champions coordinate with a team of Cigna Healthcare experts, including customer service analysts, dedicated claim processors, social services managers, nurse case managers, and health coaches. This comprehensive support helps ensure customers receive timely and effective responses that ease the burden on them and their families, allowing them to focus on their recovery and well-being.

The Personal Champions have made a significant difference for patients, earning a 98.8% satisfaction rating from the customers they help (based on post-call surveys received from May 2024 to May 2025). Cigna Healthcare recently announced plans to expand the program – which launched in 2011 – to support even more patients.

Following are three recent examples of how Personal Champions supported Cigna Healthcare customers.

Finding ideal support for a cancer patient with autism

Bonnie* struggled to find palliative care for her 26-year-old son Timothy*, who had terminal pancreatic cancer, which caused him significant breathing difficulties, and autism. Finding an in-network provider who could address Timothy’s complex needs was a daunting task. Hillary, his Cigna Healthcare Personal Champion, researched and reached out to in-network palliative care agencies until she found one with the capability and resources to provide the specialized care he needed.

Hillary also supported Timothy’s transition from the hospital to home care. She proactively assisted Bonnie, who was Timothy’s power of attorney, in completing disabled dependent forms to ensure uninterrupted insurance coverage while Hillary communicated with health care providers to secure authorizations for his medications. She also helped Bonnie obtain medical equipment and identified additional support services. She even arranged for a nurse to administer crucial infusions to Timothy at home.

“We would’ve been absolutely lost without Hillary,” Bonnie said. “She made such a difference in all of the hard diagnoses and the hard days – navigating care and communicating, giving information, and also helping to advocate for us. We are so incredibly blessed to have had her involved in our son’s care.”

Identifying and correcting cancer treatment billing errors

Lou’s* efforts to manage a daunting cancer diagnosis was compounded by incorrect billing from an out-of-network provider. The bills were often off by thousands of dollars, which led to authorization issues for the routine MRIs and CT scans he needed, adding considerable stress to his already challenging medical situation.

Leah, his Cigna Healthcare Personal Champion, made numerous calls to Lou’s provider to review the charges line by line and identify and address each billing error, which totaled nearly $120,000. Those efforts also enabled the approval of all necessary authorizations for Lou’s tests.

Lou is immensely grateful for Leah’s support. “My Personal Champion is a great program,” he said. “It helped me focus on my treatment and I did not have to deal with the bills.

Navigating complex claims and medical bills

When Brenda’s* 11-year-old daughter, Katie*, needed urgent spine surgery, Brenda was overwhelmed by the medical bills and claims paperwork that quickly piled up. Jodi, her Cigna Healthcare Personal Champion, worked diligently to ensure the claims were processed correctly. Jodi coordinated with the surgeon and other treating practitioners to gather missing information and secure the necessary approvals for Katie to receive the care and support services she needed.

Jodi’s thorough management of the claims process significantly reduced Brenda’s stress during the ordeal. “Jodi followed up on everything, calling me on a regular basis as well as sending emails to keep me updated,” Brenda said. “She worked with me for over six months of various treatments for Katie and certainly made this stressful situation a whole lot easier.”

*Names have been changed to protect the privacy of individuals.