Aetna
Introduces New Health Insurance
Options For Individuals And
Their Families In California
Health
plan options compatible with
Health Savings Accounts available
WOODLAND
HILLS, Calif., August 3, 2005
— Aetna (NYSE: ΑET) announced
today that it has begun marketing
nine new plans for individuals
and their families in California.
The two new Aetna high-deductible
health plans, which are compatible
with the Aetna HealthFund®
Health Savings Account (HSA),
four new Aetna Advantage plans
and three new Aetna Advantage
Value plans are designed to
provide affordable, comprehensive
health coverage options for
individuals and their families.
"Aetna is firmly committed
to addressing the health insurance
needs of the growing uninsured
population, as well as the
needs of individuals who directly
purchase health care for themselves
and their family members,"
said Laurie Brubaker, Aetna’s
national general manager for
Individual Markets. "We
are developing new products
and services to reach these
underserved markets. Our plans
are presented in an easy-to-understand
format that provides guidance
to individuals in finding
plans that best fit their
unique needs during particular
stages in life."
Aetna is offering individuals
and their families nine new
plan designs. Four of the
plans, which are called Aetna
Advantage plans, offer members
the freedom to go directly
to any doctor, hospital or
health care professional –
including specialists – for
covered expenses, with no
referrals required. If a member
chooses a health care professional
from Aetna’s extensive network
of participating physicians
and hospitals, out-of-pocket
costs will be lower and there
are no in-network claim forms.
The plans include "first-
dollar coverage" and
no deductibles for in-network
doctor office visits.
All Aetna Advantage plans
feature coverage for routine
checkups and preventive care,
specialty care, hospitalization
and surgery, diagnostic testing
and emergency care, subject
to applicable copayments,
coinsurance and deductibles.
The plans also include prescription
drug coverage, subject to
a deductible and copayments,
with no deductibles for generic
prescriptions.
The three Aetna Advantage
Value plans offer members
similar benefits to the Aetna
Advantage plans. The Value
plans offer members lower
premium payments; however,
doctors’ office visits are
covered only after members
reach annual deductible payments
and prescription drug coverage
is not as comprehensive as
with other Aetna plans. Also,
all Aetna Advantage and Aetna
Advantage Value plans are
available on a child-only
basis.
The additional two plans,
Aetna high-deductible health
plans, are compatible with
the Aetna HealthFund HSA.
Members can take advantage
of a flexible health benefits
plan paired with an HSA. HSAs
are tax-advantaged accounts
used to pay for qualified
medical expenses. HSA contributions
are tax deductible and earn
interest tax free. HSAs are
portable, and unused balances
can be carried forward from
year to year, making them
a strong value for consumers.
In addition to plan benefits,
through the Vision One®1
discount program, Fitness
Program and Alternative Health
Care Programs, members may
access discounted rates from
certain providers for products
and services available to
the general public. The Vision
One program offers special
member discounts on eye care
products and services at participating
optical centers. The Fitness
Program provides special membership
rates at participating fitness
clubs contracted with Global
Fit™2 and discounts
on certain equipment. The
Alternative Health Care Programs
offer reduced rates on alternative
therapies for members, including
visits to chiropractors, acupuncturists,
nutritional counselors and
massage therapists, and members
can save on over-the-counter
vitamins and nutritional supplements
through the Vitamin Advantage™
program.
To help members make informed
decisions, Aetna offers online
tools such as Aetna Navigator™,
a member self-service website
that provides a record of
personal health information,
and DocFind®, a directory
members can use to search
for health care professionals
and facilities by particular
criteria. Members also have
access to Aetna InteliHealth®,
an online consumer health
information website.
"Consumer-directed health
plans are starting to become
popular," said Ron Herzog,
partner with California Health
Quote Insurance Services,
a Carlsbad-based independent
benefits brokerage firm. "I
am pleased to see Aetna is
offering high-deductible health
plans, compatible with HSAs,
and a variety of other plans
for individuals and their
families in California. Aetna
has strong brand recognition
and a national presence, which
is very appealing to clients."
"We are dedicated to
satisfying consumers’ needs
for choice, simplicity and
affordability," said
Brubaker. "These cost-effective
plans are designed to fit
a variety of personal situations
– for example, new graduates,
those who are self-employed
or between jobs, and early
retirees. Individuals can
log on to our newly redesigned
website, choose the health
insurance plans that best
fit their health care needs,
receive quotes and apply online."
In California, there are more
than 6.4 million people –
or 18 percent of the population
– who are uninsured.3
In addition to California,
Aetna plans for individuals
and their families are currently
being sold directly to consumers
or through independent insurance
agents and brokers in Arizona,
Connecticut, Delaware, Georgia,
Illinois, Maryland, Ohio,
Pennsylvania, Texas, Virginia
and Washington, D.C.
Aetna plans for individuals
and their families are currently
being sold through independent
insurance agents and brokers
in 35 counties in California.
As one of the nation’s leading
providers of health care,
dental, pharmacy, group life,
disability and long-term care
benefits, Aetna puts information
and helpful resources to work
for its approximately 14.435
million medical members, 12.976
million dental members, 9.117
million pharmacy members and
13.662 million group insurance
members to help them make
better informed decisions
about their health care and
protect their finances against
health-related risks. Aetna
provides easy access to cost-effective
health care through a nationwide
network of more than 684,000
health care professionals,
including over 405,000 primary
care and specialist doctors
and 4,135 hospitals.
(Figures as of June 30, 2005)
Source:
Aetna
http://www.aetna.com/news
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