Start free

PolicyChanges tracks payer policy changes for medical practices and tells you what to do before they take effect.

Create a free accountPolicy Monitoring is free. No card required.
← Back to list
CignaCommercial · Administrative · Claims & BillingHigh impact

We’re making updates to help you identify and resolve certain electronic claim submission errors more quickly

Act
by Jul 1, 2026
Effective date
Jul 1, 2026
Identified
Jun 2, 2026

Summary

Cigna Healthcare is implementing real-time claim rejection for EDI submissions with unacceptable primary diagnosis codes starting July 1, 2026. Claims with invalid primary diagnoses will be rejected at submission (not after processing) and returned with specific error codes A7 and 255 for immediate correction.

Get alerts when payers change rules like this one

We check Cigna and other payers every day and email you when a change matches your specialty and state.

Get Cigna alertsPolicy Monitoring is free. No card required.

What to do

by Jul 1, 2026 · 3 steps
01Billing team must update practice management systems to recognize and handle 277CA rejection responses with codes A7 and 255.
02Train staff on ICD-10-CM guidelines to identify unacceptable primary diagnosis codes (manifestations, external causes, sequelae, 'code first' conditions) before submission.
03Review Policy R38 on CignaforHCP.com and contact clearinghouse to ensure systems are ready for point-of-submission rejections.

Original notice

We’re making updates to help you identify and resolve certain electronic claim submission errors more quickly
providernewsroom.com · Always check the source before changing claims.
View original ↗

Related changes

See all Cigna changes →
Claims submission process enhancements offer real-time support for reduced denialsHighEffective Jul 1, 2026 · CodingBrowse every Cigna change in the policy list

Related policy hubs

Cigna policies

Summaries are AI-assisted. Always confirm against the original payer notice.

What is PolicyChanges

One workspace for payer rules, prior auth, coding and compliance

Medical practices use PolicyChanges to catch payer changes before they cause denials. Every change is summarized in plain English, with the codes involved, the date it takes effect and what to do.

Policy MonitoringPayer policy, prior auth and coding changes, filtered to your saved searchesOIG ScreeningStaff and vendors screened every month against OIG LEIE, SAM.gov and state Medicaid listsPrior Auth LookupKnow if a service needs prior authorization before you schedule itCredentialing TrackerLicenses, CAQH, Medicare revalidation and payer enrollments, with reminders before anything lapsesCompliance CenterKeep your HIPAA program documented and ready to show
Start freePolicy Monitoring is free. No card required.
Get alerts for changes like thisPolicy Monitoring is free. No card required.Create a free account