October 9, 2025
Delivering on our commitment to simplify the care experience for our customers — and for the providers who serve them — we continue to take meaningful steps to improve the precertification (i.e., prior authorization) process.
As part of this initiative, we are introducing new capabilities on the Cigna for Health Care Professionals portal (CignaforHCP.com) that help streamline workflows and reduce administrative burden. These enhancements include a real-time precertification check feature for medical services, a new precertification dashboard view for submitted requests, and the ability to appeal denied requests directly within the portal.
Effective October 8, users with “Patient Search (Precertification & Benefits)” entitlement now have access to these features directly within the portal, making it easier to get the information they need, when they need it. These enhancements can help providers focus on what matters most: caring for their patients.
New capabilities at a glance
In this article, you will find a visual guide to help you get started, followed by answers to common questions about the new features.
How to use the precertification check feature
The steps below demonstrate how users can quickly check precertification requirements directly on the CignaforHCP.com portal.
Frequently asked questions
Access and setup
1. Why am I unable to see the Precertifications tab?
You may not have the appropriate entitlement to view or request precertifications. If the Precertifications tab is not displayed, please check with your website access manager. The entitlement required to use the precertification check functionality is “Patient Search (Precertification & Benefits).”
2. What type of services can be viewed in the Precertifications tab?
Medical precertifications submitted by phone, mail, or electronically will display on the precertification dashboard.
Note: To see this screen, correct access must be granted. Users will only be able to view precertification requests submitted under the Taxpayer Identification Number (TIN) under which they are registered.
3. What’s the difference between a precertification check and a precertification submission?
Important note: Online submission of precertification requests is currently unavailable. For details on how to submit a request, please refer to question number four.
4. Can I submit a precertification request online on CignaforHCP.com?
No. At this time, users cannot submit precertification requests through the portal. However, users can:
5. Can I modify precertification requests on CignaforHCP.com?
No. Users cannot modify precertification requests through the CignaforHCP.com portal.
For pending requests, if it was submitted via letter, fax, email, electronic medical record (EMR), or electronic health record (EHR), any updates must be made using the same method.
Note: Precertification requests delegated to EviCore by Evernorth® that are in a pending status will not appear on CignaforHCP.com. You must log in to the EviCore Provider portal to view or manage those requests.
6. Can I appeal a denied precertification request?
Yes. For precertifications managed by Cigna Healthcare, you can initiate an appeal via CignaforHCP.com. Select the “Appeal” button from the Precertifications tab under “Actions.” For precertification requests managed by EviCore, you will need to submit an appeal with EviCore using current processes.
Functionality and status
7. What statuses will I be able to see on the precertification dashboard?
At this time, users can view whether a precertification has been approved, denied, or pending. Users have the ability to submit an appeal directly within the portal.
8. Will precertification statuses be accessible on the home dashboard?
Yes. Precertification request statuses can be flagged and added to your main dashboard. Up to 15 precertification requests may be saved there.
9. Will I receive updates regarding the status of a precertification request, and how will they be delivered?
Updates are provided whenever there is a change in the status of a precertification request and are delivered through the Messaging Center. Users will also see updates reflected in the precertification dashboard and patient’s record.
10. How long will it take for the precertification request to appear in the patient’s record after it is submitted?
The status and details of a precertification request managed by Cigna Healthcare can be viewed anywhere from nine to 24 hours after it was submitted.
Precertification requests delegated to EviCore will appear on the CignaforHCP.com portal after they are sent to Cigna Healthcare. Alternatively, precertification requests delegated to EviCore- appear nearly in real time on the EviCore Provider portal precertification dashboard.
11. Will I be able to view precertification requests managed by EviCore?
Yes. Approved or denied precertification requests managed by EviCore will be available on CignaforHCP.com. Please note that pended statuses will not display on CignaforHCP.com and are only available through the EviCore Provider portal.
12. Can a requesting provider view a precertification request submitted by a servicing provider?
Yes. If both the requesting and servicing providers are listed on the precertification request, it will display on the Precertifications tab where it can be viewed by both providers.
Feature availability and technical details
13. What happens if my organization uses a utilization management (UM) system that is not supported by the precertification check feature?
Currently, the precertification check feature supports EviCore only. If your system is not supported, you will not see a “Start Precertification Check” button under the precertification tab after searching for a patient. Instead, you will receive an alert notifying you that precertification check and submission is not available for the patient yet, and a “Next steps” button will let you know whether precertification is required and how to submit a request.
14. Do providers who offer both behavioral and medical care have access to the precertification check feature using the CignaforHCP.com or Provider.Evernorth.com portals?
No. At this time, the tool supports medical services only. Providers who deliver both behavioral and medical care must use CignaforHCP.com to access the precertification check feature. Precertification check for behavioral services is currently not available.
15. Are approved precertification requests a guarantee of benefits for the patient?
No. Some procedure codes are subject to exclusion. Please review the patient’s benefits for full coverage details.
16. Can I save a precertification check that has not been completed?
No. The precertification check tool does not support saving incomplete forms. If you exit the tool before submitting, your information will not be saved, and you will need to restart from the beginning.
17. Can I save a precertification requirement determination?
You cannot save a precertification requirement determination within the portal. However, if the determination indicates that precertification is not required, you can download and save a summary for your records.
18. Will I lose my entered information if I click “Back” in my browser while filing out the precertification check form?
No. The tool was updated to allow you to move back and forth within the form without losing entered information. Your data will remain intact unless you refresh the page, leave the form, or log out.
19. Are there any browser limitations to use the precertification check feature?
No. The precertification check feature is compatible with all major browsers.
Contact information
Please let us know what you think of the Provider Newsroom information and news.
Contact Us
