Why would Aetna deny a claim?

Asked by: Prof. Jaydon Keeling  |  Last update: December 9, 2025
Score: 4.9/5 (59 votes)

The treating physician is out of network or out of plan. The claim filed was for a medical condition that isn't authorized or covered. Medical treatment or procedure is investigational or experimental. The policyholder misinterpreted something in their original application.

What is a typical reason for a denied claim?

A rejected claim is typically the result of: A coding error(s), • A mismatched procedure and ICD-10 code(s), or • A terminated patient medical insurance policy.

What is the denial rate for Aetna?

Other insurance companies with the highest claim denial rates included Sendero Health Plans (28%), Molina Healthcare (26%) and Community First Health Plans (26%). Additionally, the analysis found the denial rates for other major insurance companies, including Anthem (23%), Medica (23%) and Aetna (22%).

Why would an insurance claim be rejected?

Policy Limits: If the repair costs exceed your policy limits, the insurance company may only offer partial coverage or deny your claim. Human Error: A claims adjuster may deny a claim if someone entered invalid information into the application, such as an incorrect or outdated code, or made another input error.

Which of the following reasons could be cause for a claim denial?

The claim has missing or incorrect information.

Whether by accident or intentionally, medical billing and coding errors are common reasons that claims are rejected or denied. Information may be incorrect, incomplete or missing. You will need to check your billing statement and EOB very carefully.

Health Insurance Denials

37 related questions found

Which health insurance denies the most claims?

According to personal finance website ValuePenguin – which used federal data from 2022 to compile in-network claim denial rates by companies offering plans on at least some Affordable Care Act exchanges – UnitedHealthcare denied nearly one-third of claims, topping the list.

What are the 3 most common mistakes on a claim that will cause denials?

Here, we discuss the first five most common medical coding and billing mistakes that cause claim denials so you can avoid them in your business:
  • Claim is not specific enough. ...
  • Claim is missing information. ...
  • Claim not filed on time (aka: Timely Filing)

How often are insurance claims denied?

We find that, across HealthCare.gov insurers with complete data, nearly 17% of in-network claims were denied in 2021. Insurer denial rates varied widely around this average, ranging from 2% to 49%. CMS requires insurers to report the reasons for claims denials at the plan level.

What is the most common rejection in medical billing?

Most common rejections

Duplicate claim. Eligibility. Payer ID missing or invalid. Billing provider NPI missing or invalid.

Can I sue my health insurance company for denying my claim?

There are laws designed to protect consumers in the state of California and across the nation. It's not uncommon for policyholders to sue their healthcare insurers for denial of a claim, mainly when the claim is for a service that is crucial to their health and future or the health and future of a loved one.

Why did Aetna deny my claim?

If your health or disability benefits have been denied, Aetna may have claimed the following: The procedure is merely cosmetic and not medically necessary. The treating physician is out of network or out of plan. The claim filed was for a medical condition that isn't authorized or covered.

Is Aetna considered good insurance?

It also offers benefits like access to 24/7 virtual care at no or low costs, depending on your plan, and mental health coverage. Aetna is regarded as a good health insurance provider overall.

How long does it take for Aetna to process a claim?

If we approve your request, it can take up to 30 days to send payment once we have all the required information.

Why would a claim reject?

You've made a fraudulent claim. You've provided false information (misrepresentation) Your claim isn't covered by your policy. The claim amount is less than your deductible.

What is a dirty claim?

The term dirty claim refers to the “claim submitted with errors or one that requires manual processing to resolve problems or is rejected for payment”.

What are the odds of winning an insurance appeal?

Only half of denied claims are appealed, and of those appeals, half are overturned! Undivided's Head of Health Plan Advocacy, Leslie Lobel, says that if you have a winner argument and patience to get through all the levels of "no," there is a good chance you can get your denial overturned.

What are 5 reasons a claim may be denied?

Six common reasons for denied claims
  • Timely filing. Each payer defines its own time frame during which a claim must be submitted to be considered for payment. ...
  • Invalid subscriber identification. ...
  • Noncovered services. ...
  • Bundled services. ...
  • Incorrect use of modifiers. ...
  • Data discrepancies.

What happens when a claim is rejected?

A claim rejection occurs before the claim is processed and most often results from incorrect data. Conversely, a claim denial applies to a claim that has been processed and found to be unpayable. This may be due to terms of the patient-payer contract or for other reasons that emerge during processing.

Why does health insurance deny claims?

There are a variety of reasons your claim wasn't approved: it might not be covered by your insurance in the first place, it's not considered medically necessary, you needed to get prior authorization or your physician wasn't in the insurer's network, McBride said.

Will my insurance go up if my claim is denied?

Will my insurance rates go up if my claim is denied? Since insurers base premiums on how likely policyholders are to file a claim, a claim that's denied can cause your rates to go up — though not as much as if the claim was approved.

Which of the following are common reasons claims can be denied?

Incorrect or duplicate claims, lack of medical necessity or supporting documentation, and claims filed after the required timeframe are common reasons for denials. Experimental, investigational, or non-covered services are also likely to be denied.

How many claims until insurance drops you?

Every insurance company sets its own benchmark for triggering a cancellation, but it is more likely that you'll face cancellation or non-renewal if you've made three or more claims within a three-year period. Most cancellations occur within the first 60 days of a policy, usually due to non-compliance.

How do you handle claim denial?

Steps to Appeal a Health Insurance Claim Denial
  1. Step 1: Find Out Why Your Claim Was Denied. ...
  2. Step 2: Call Your Insurance Provider. ...
  3. Step 3: Call Your Doctor's Office. ...
  4. Step 4: Collect the Right Paperwork. ...
  5. Step 5: Submit an Internal Appeal. ...
  6. Step 6: Wait For An Answer. ...
  7. Step 7: Submit an External Review. ...
  8. Review Your Plan Coverage.

Which of these would be a valid reasons for a claim to be denied?

Here are the top five reasons why health insurance claims are denied:
  • Claim Process Errors. Filing a health insurance claim involves paperwork, documentation, and adherence to specific guidelines. ...
  • Pre-existing Conditions. ...
  • Policy Expiry. ...
  • Waiting Periods. ...
  • Exclusions.

What percentage of claims are denied?

Overall, nearly 15% of all claims submitted to payers for reimbursement were initially denied. Medicare Advantage and Medicaid managed care plans denied claims at higher-than-average rates of 15.7% and 16.7%, respectively.