If you’ve looked closely at a Cigna Explanation of Benefits, you may have noticed a second name: Evernorth. It’s not a separate insurance company — but it plays a real role in how your mental health benefits are managed, and it’s worth understanding before your first session.
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What Evernorth Actually Is
Evernorth Behavioral Health is Cigna’s own behavioral health subsidiary, the division that specifically manages mental health and substance use benefits for Cigna health plans nationally. It’s not a separate insurer the way, say, Optum operates somewhat independently from UnitedHealthcare; Evernorth is part of the same corporate structure as Cigna itself, built specifically to administer behavioral health benefits.
For you, this mostly means: if paperwork or a benefits explanation references Evernorth, that’s still your Cigna mental health coverage – just the specialized division handling it.
No Prior Authorization for Routine Care
Cigna removed prior authorization requirements since 2024 from most behavioral health treatment. Routine outpatient mental health and substance use care under Cigna plans generally doesn’t require advance approval before you start – one of the more meaningful simplifications in how commercial insurers typically handle mental health benefits.
Have a different plan? We’re out-of-network with EmblemHealth, BlueCross BlueShield, 1199SEIU, Beacon, and ComPsych.
What You'll Pay
Since we’re in-network with Cigna, your session cost is set by a negotiated contracted rate – currently $130 for a first session and $126 for each session after that – with your actual out-of-pocket cost (typically a $0–$30 copay) determined by your specific plan.
This is a different mechanism than Medicare’s federally-set coinsurance percentage or CDPHP’s state-mandated parity structure – with Cigna, the rate is set through the direct contract between Cigna/Evernorth and our practice.
How to Verify Your Specific Benefit
Because employer-sponsored Cigna plans vary from company to company, we verify your exact copay and any plan-specific requirements before your first session – you don’t need to contact Evernorth yourself unless you’d like to confirm the details directly.