Cigna, I hate you. Part 1,476.

Really the title says it all. But I'll break it down anyways.

#1) There are a handful of seasoned treatments that are crucial to the treatment of children with autism. They have been around for decades and are specifically recommended by the American Surgeon General in addition to many other well qualified people and organizations.

#2) Autism now effects 1 in 60 boys. There are many, many autistic children who need treatment.

#3) This costs the insurance companies a lot of money they would rather not spend.

#4) So they deny claims for these treatments, citing them as "experimental" in nature, American Surgeon General be damned.

#5) So legislation is being reformed on a state by state basis, and class action law suits against several insurance companies related to this specific issue have not ended favorably for the insurance companies.

#6) And so I get to have weekly conversations with Cigna. Of course the class action law suit against them was only filed last week. Which will either make things better or a lot worse for me in the immediate future. Awesome.

Our Little Guy is flourishing under treatment. But sooner or later we will not be able to afford to continue his treatment if Cigna doesn't step up and actually provide the service they have sold, i.e. medical coverage.

When, in a more perfect world, I would otherwise be planning to step up his treatment I am instead preparing a scaled back Plan B.

So, Cigna, I hate you. I'm sure there will be a settlement and Cigna will change their tune at least somewhat. But that doesn't help us now, as our child passes through this critical stage of development and we face a stack of medical bills.