Cigna vs. Anthem Insurance

In this Cigna vs. Anthem matchup, Anthem takes the lead with its larger provider network and more favorable consumer ratings overall. Our handy guide has provided everything you need to know about these two health insurance carriers, including user ratings, plan types and when you can enroll with these companies.

Key Takeaways Both Cigna and Anthem offer a wide range of plans including HMO, PPO, EPO, Medicaid and Medicare Advantage. Cigna and Anthem sell individual and family medical plans in 14 states, with both companies serving Colorado, Georgia, Indiana and Virginia. Anthem scored higher overall when it came to consumer reviews. Anthem fared better in a J.D. Power customer satisfaction study across several regions.

Cigna History

In 1792, a group of citizens formed the Insurance Company of North America (INA), the country’s oldest stockholder-owned insurer. In 1794, INA issued its first insurance policy, for a sea captain, to mitigate the risk of death. In 1865, the Governor of Connecticut signed a special act of the General Assembly incorporating the Connecticut General Life Insurance Company and in 1982, INA and the Connecticut General Life Insurance Company combined to form Cigna as we know it today.^[1]

Click to read our full Cigna review.

Anthem History

Anthem Inc. is a relatively newer health insurance company than Cigna, having been founded in the 1940s.^[2] After acquiring WellPoint Health Networks Inc. in 2004, Anthem became the largest health insurance company with at least 28 million policyholders under their belt.^[3] In 2022, Anthem rebranded to Elevance Health.^[4]

Click to read our full Anthem review.

Cigna vs. Anthem: Quick Glance

Comparison	Cigna	Anthem
Plan Types	HMO, PPO, CDHP, EPO, FSA, HDHP, HMO-POS, Indemnity, HSA, Medicaid, Medicare and POS	HMO, PPO, CDHP, EPO, FSA, HDHP, HMO-POS, Indemnity, HSA, Medicaid, Medicare and POS
Availability	14 states	14 states (varies by plan type)
Coverage Limit	Varies	Varies
Deductible	Varies	Varies
Maximum Annual Benefit	Varies	Varies
Waiting Period	Varies	Varies
Providers In-Network	1.5 million	1.7 million
Covers Telehealth	Yes (depending on plan and location)	Yes
Policy Management	Mobile app, online account, phone	Mobile app, online account, phone

Cigna Pros and Cons

Pros	Cons
Network of 1.5 million providers	Limited availability
One of the largest and oldest insurance institutions in the country	Below average customer satisfaction rating in most regions in 2022 J.D. Power study

Anthem Pros and Cons

Pros	Cons
Network of 1.7 million providers	Limited availability
Ranked higher overall in a 2023 J.D. Power study

Cigna vs. Anthem: Plan Structures

Cigna and Anthem are tied in this category, offering a variety of health plans, from HMOs to PPOs, along with extra services like Medicaid and Medicare, as well as others. They serve individuals and families and also offer work-based plans that include dental and vision coverage. See each company’s coverage benefits below.

Plan	Cigna	Anthem
Individual & Family	✓	✓
Medicare	✓	✓
Medicaid	✓	✓
Dental	✓	✓
Vision	✓	✓
Small Business	✓	✓
Self-employed	✓	✓
Short-term	✓	✓
Student	✓	✓

Cigna vs. Anthem: Plan Availability

When it comes to availability for individual/family medical plans, Cigna and Anthem are tied with both companies having a coverage footprint in 14 states. Specifically, Anthem serves the following states:^[5]

• California
• Colorado
• Connecticut
• Georgia
• Indiana
• Kentucky
• Maine
• Missouri
• Nevada
• New Hampshire
• New York
• Ohio
• Virginia
• Wisconsin

Meanwhile, Cigna medical plans are available in the below 14 states but only in select counties. That said, Cigna dental plans are available in all 50 states:^[6]

• Arizona
• Colorado
• Florida
• Georgia
• Illinois
• Indiana
• Mississippi
• North Carolina
• Pennsylvania
• South Carolina
• Tennessee
• Texas
• Utah
• Virginia

Be aware that Anthem's health plans may go by alternative names in specific states — like Rocky Mountain Hospital in Nevada or Community Insurance Company in Ohio.^[7] Although its reach is somewhat limited, Anthem is a member of the broader Blue Cross Blue Shield Association, which serves all 50 states and is worth considering if Anthem is unavailable in your state.^[8]

Cigna vs. Anthem: In-Network Providers

Anthem pulls ahead of Cigna in this round, utilizing BCBS’s provider network of 1.7 million doctors and hospitals.^[8] However, Cigna’s network is still impressive and currently has 1.5 million providers.^[9]

Cigna vs. Anthem: Cost

Due to the varying nature of healthcare needs and plan types, comparing costs between Cigna and Anthem is difficult. The price of your health insurance premium varies based on several variables such as your age, your geographic location, your deductible, whether you smoke, your insurance provider and the type of plan. Costs will fluctuate based on the category of your chosen plan. Both Cigna and Anthem employ a tiered structure, featuring bronze, silver, gold and platinum levels.

The following image provides a detailed explanation of how each tier operates.

Cigna vs. Anthem: Coverage Limits

Insurance providers such as Cigna and Anthem are not allowed to set financial limits on what are considered essential healthcare services for their policyholders. A portion of the costs for these critical services must be covered. These services include:

Ambulatory patient services	Emergency medical care
Hospitalization for surgeries and inpatient care	Diagnostic laboratory evaluations
Mental health and substance abuse therapies	Pediatric healthcare
Maternity, prenatal and newborn care	Prescription drugs
Preventive wellness and chronic disease management	Rehabilitative services and assistive devices/technologies

Cigna vs. Anthem: Policy Management

Both Cigna and Anthem provide digital platforms and mobile applications for managing your policy, which include features like locating healthcare providers, reviewing your coverage and monitoring claim statuses.

As far as mobile app user reviews are concerned, Anthem wins. Anthem's mobile application is named Sydney Health.

Company	Google Play Store	Apple App Store
Cigna	2.5/5 stars[10]	4.8/5 stars[11]
Anthem	4.6/5 stars[12]	4.6/5 stars[13]

Cigna vs. Anthem: Medical Loss Ratio

The Medical Loss Ratio (MLR) indicates what portion of an insurance company's premium revenue is used for patient services and improving care quality. By law, at least 80% of the premiums from individual plans or 85% from group plans must go towards healthcare services.^[14] If these minimums aren't reached, the difference is refunded to the policyholders as rebates.

Both Elevance Health and Cigna met the 80% threshold in 2023 but Elevance came out slightly on top. Elevance Health reported an MLR of 87%, while Cigna reported an MLR of 81.3%.^[15][16]

Cigna vs. Anthem: Enrollment Process

To purchase a Cigna or Anthem plan from your state’s marketplace, you will need to do so during open enrollment. Open enrollment runs from November 1st to December 15th for coverage beginning on January 1st. If you miss this window, you can still enroll by January 15th but coverage will start on February 1st.^[17]

For those unable to participate in open enrollment, certain events like getting married or moving to a new zip code may help you qualify for a special enrollment period (SEP).

For those looking to buy Medicare Advantage plans, separate enrollment periods exist.^[18]

3 months before you turn 65 to 3 months after	Enroll in a Medicare Advantage plan (if you have both Medicare Part A and B)
October 15 to December 7 for coverage starting on January 1	Switch from Original Medicare to a Medicare Advantage plan Switch from one Medicare Advantage plan to another Medicare Advantage plan
January 1 to March 31 for coverage starting on the 1st of the month after the company receives your request	Switch from one Medicare Advantage plan to another Medicare Advantage plan Drop your Medicare Advantage plan and return to Original Medicare

Cigna vs. Anthem: Policyholder Experience

Below is a table showing ratings based on customer reviews and company reviews from several online sources for both Cigna and Anthem.

Company	Cigna	Anthem
Consumer Affairs	1.4/5 stars[19]	1/5 stars[24]
Trusted Choice	2.5/5 stars[20]	3/5 stars[25]
BestCompany	1.9/5 stars[21]	1/5 stars[26]
Affordable Health Insurance	4.2/5 stars[22]	4.6/5 stars[27]
BBB	1.06/5 stars[23]	1.08/5 stars[28]

Based on the above data, Anthem has a minor advantage over Cigna. Also, a 2023 research report by JD Power and Associates focusing on commercial member health plans shows that Anthem surpasses Cigna in eight geographic areas.^[29]

• Virginia
• Southwest
• South Atlantic
• Ohio
• Northeast
• Illinois-Indiana
• Heartland
• Colorado

However, Cigna did rank higher than Anthem in the East South Central region and California.^[29]

How To File Claims With Cigna and Anthem

When you see a healthcare provider that's part of your insurance network, they'll take care of submitting your insurance claim for you. If you opt for a doctor or service outside your network, you'll need to handle the paperwork and submit the claim on your own. Both Cigna and Anthem have designated forms for this, which you'll need to mail to the specified address. You can also track the status of your claim using the online portal or mobile app provided by your insurance company.