UC Davis Health and Cigna Health Plan

Despite ongoing negotiations for more than six months, Cigna health plan and UC Davis Health have not been able to reach a new contract agreement. Effective July 1, 2026, UC Davis Health will no longer accept Cigna health insurance as payment for patient care services.

We understand Cigna has started mailing letters to its HMO patients to inform them that the responsibility for their care will be transferred to other health care providers starting on July 1. Patients with PPO and other health plans through Cigna will also no longer be able to use Cigna for payment at UC Davis Health starting on July 1.

UC is seeking updated payment rates from Cigna to keep pace with rising costs, including inflation, higher-priced medical supplies, competitive wages and ongoing facility maintenance. Meanwhile, health plans like Cigna have been increasing patient premiums significantly without passing these funds along the providers who are actually seeing the cost increases. Cigna is charging patients billions of dollars more per year in premiums than it is paying out to providers.  We believe Cigna can and should cover the increased costs of care for its members.

Frequently Asked Questions

We understand Cigna has mailed letters to its HMO plan members who are assigned to UC Davis Medical Group, informing them their care will be assigned to a different provider, as of July 1, if no agreement is reached. What can patients do?

If UC Davis Health is excluded from Cigna’s network beginning on July 1, 2026, patients with Cigna health plans will be unable to access care at UC Davis Health through their Cigna plan unless that specific patient’s exact care is approved for something called “Continuity of Care.” Cigna has to approve “Continuity of Care” forms that are completed by the patient, for specific conditions covered by law. Patients should contact Cigna, at the number on the back of their insurance cards, with any concerns about these changes or to request information about Continuity of Care requirements.

Can patients with Cigna insurance still see their UC Davis Health doctor and get treatments at UC Davis Health before July 1 without any changes? 

UC Davis Health will be contacting impacted Cigna PPO patients in late May to let them know appointments after July 1 may not be paid by Cigna health plan, if there is no new contract agreement, except for those patients who have received Cigna’s approval for Continuity of Care (to continue ongoing or current treatment plans with UC Davis Health).

What if I have Cigna health insurance and I already have care underway with UC Davis Health?

Patients with Cigna HMO insurance can apply to Cigna for Continuity of Care by completing and mailing a form to Cigna. The decision for Continuity of Care is completely up to Cigna. It is possible that Cigna will not respond to patients in a timely manner, as there are likely to be thousands of requests from patients for Continuity Care (since UC cares for more patients who are chronically ill).

We look forward to continuing to serve Cigna patients with exceptional care until July 1. After that date, patients may continue to see UC Davis Health providers if they qualify for Continuity of Care. 

For Cigna PPO patients, UC Davis Health providers will be “out of network” starting on July 1. Cigna PPO patients can still receive care from UC Davis Health, just with a significantly higher share of cost as the patient’s responsibility, unless they qualify for Continuity of Care.

Appointments for Cigna PPO patients can still be kept on or after July 1, but the patient’s out-of-pocket cost will be significantly higher, due to UC Davis Health being “out of network” because of the lack of a contract with Cigna.

UC Davis Health will be contacting Cigna PPO patients in late May and June to make sure they are aware of Cigna’s actions, the impact that it is likely to have on their costs for care at UC Davis Health, and to make sure they are aware of how to apply for Continuity of Care, if appropriate.

Continuity of Care applies to all Cigna patients except for Medicare Advantage and original Medicare. The majority of UC Davis Health patients with Cigna health insurance coverage are PPO patients.

Does this impact UC employees or their families?

No. People who receive their benefits through UC Davis, including retirees, are not impacted. Cigna is not one of the health plans offered by the University of California to its employees.

When does the current in-network agreement with Cigna end?

UC Davis Health’s agreement with Cigna expires after June 30, 2026.

How does Continuity of Care work? What does UC Davis Health do?

Patients may request Continuity of Care through Cigna’s form. UC Davis Health will assist with completing the parts of the form where we can be of assistance. Continuity of Care allows patients with certain chronic or acute conditions to continue to see their current treating provider, even after a contract terminates. However, the decision to allow a patient to see a UC Davis Health provider is entirely up to Cigna and the forms must be submitted by the patient or their caregiver.

Which UC health care professionals and facilities are impacted?

All University of California hospitals, facilities and health care professionals rely on this agreement with Cigna, so all of these locations will be “out of network” for Cigna patients.

Why is it important for UC Davis Health to have a contract with Cigna?

A contact between UC Davis Health and Cigna outlines how the health plan will pay for care provided to people with Cigna health insurance. Without a contract, the health plan considers UC Davis Health (and all University of California health providers) to be “out of network,” which means a patient pays for a significant portion, or possibly all, of the costs of care themselves. Cigna is refusing to agree to moderate cost increases for UC providers, even as it consistently raises member premiums and reports earning large profits.

Why haven’t UC and Cigna reached an agreement?

UC is asking for single-digit cost increases to cover the costs of inflation, increased costs for medical supplies, and cost-of-living increases for its employees. While UC’s requests for reasonable increases have been generally dismissed by Cigna, the company has been significantly increasing health plan premium costs for its members, and reporting it expects to see increased profits in 2026 and stating it expects more in the future, despite covering fewer patients.

What happens next? Is there still a chance UC Davis Health and Cigna will reach an agreement?

UC Davis Health remains committed to reaching a fair agreement and continues to engage in good-faith negotiations with Cigna. Our goal is to ensure patients can maintain in-network access while also securing appropriate reimbursement to support high-quality care. We will keep patients and employees informed of any updates. In the meantime, patients should review their coverage, watch for communications from both UC Davis Health and Cigna, and explore options such as Continuity of Care if they have ongoing treatment needs.