Claims denial rates by leading California insurers, first six months of 2009:

[Are_grits_groceries]

• PacifiCare -- 39.6 percent
• Cigna -- 32.7 percent
• HealthNet -- 30 percent
• Kaiser Permanente -- 28.3 percent
• Blue Cross -- 27.9 percent
• Aetna -- 6.4 percent

Researchers from the California Nurses Association/National Nurses Organizing Committee analyzed data reported by the insurers to the California Department of Managed Care. From 2002 through June 30, 2009, the six insurers rejected 45.7 million claims -- 22 percent of all claims.

For the first half of 2009, as the national debate over healthcare reform was escalating, the rejection rates are even more striking.
http://rising-hegemon.blogspot.com/

Aetna better pick up the pace. They'll take away their "Golden Screw" award and fine them.

If you have Aetna in CA, you're probably really screwed until they are up to speed. They will deny coverage for even cuts without arterial spurts. You'll get a clean rag and some duct tape to do it yourself. If it gets infected, that's a preexisting condition because the germs were right there on your body.

[naaman fletcher]

1. Strange that Aetna is so low...

Of course, there are lots of bogus claims for cosmetic surgery and such.. but If Aetna is that much lower they are either much less profitable going forward than the others or they are better at communicating what is and is not a legit claim.