Aetna Adds Innovative Health Plans That Help Improve Quality and Affordability of Options Available to Federal Employees

• Aetna’s Accountable Care Collaborations offer Federal employees a high quality, affordable health plan alternative
• Largest Consumer-Driven Health Plan (CDHP) in Federal Employee Health Benefit Program will customize CDHP plans by region to provide more affordable premiums
• New Aetna Value Plans offer credits for wellness activities

HARTFORD, Conn.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Aetna (NYSE: AET) announced today that it is expanding its presence in the Federal Employees Health Benefit Program (FEHBP). As of January 2013, Aetna will offer regionally based Consumer-Directed Health Plans; Aetna Value Plans that encourage wellness activities; and health plans based on accountable care collaborations that deliver more coordinated care and better outcomes. Aetna will continue to offer HMO plans in 13 markets; a nationwide High Deductible Health Plan (HDHP); and a stand-alone dental plan available worldwide through the Federal Employees Dental and Vision Insurance Program (FEDVIP).

“Consumer-directed plans have grown in popularity with Federal employees looking for lower premiums and greater control over their health care spending”

“We are committed to providing Federal employees with an array of products and services that provide high quality health benefits at an affordable price,” said Kristi Matus, executive vice president and head of Aetna Government Services. “By bringing new innovations such as accountable care-based health plans to the FEHBP, we are helping the Office of Personnel Management achieve its goal of modernizing the program, while also fostering greater competition and choice.”

Accountable Care Delivers A More Personalized, Coordinated Approach

Accountable Care Organizations (ACOs) help improve the health care experience and health outcomes for members, while controlling costs through agreements with leading health systems. Aetna’s ACO plans, called Aetna Whole Health^SM , will be available in three FEHBP markets:

• Milwaukee, Wis., with Aurora Health Care;
• Houston, Tex., with Memorial Hermann; and
• Roanoke, Va., with ACO collaborator, Carilion Clinic, and strategic network partner, LewisGale Regional Health System.

Aetna members in these plans will benefit from the services of a fully integrated hospital system that uses a team-based approach to health care, offers personalized health and wellness services, and employs technologies to coordinate, monitor and improve patient care.

Improving Affordability and Promoting Wellness

Also new for 2013 is the Aetna Value Plan. The Aetna Value Plan gives federal employees an affordable, easy to understand plan that includes incentive credits for completing wellness activities. By completing activities like routine preventive care, getting scheduled immunizations, and completing an online health risk assessment, members can receive up to $300 in credits to help lower their out-of-pocket costs.

Aetna also has restructured its CDHP to offer plans on a regional basis, with local market pricing. This will allow Aetna to offer its industry-leading consumer-directed plans and capabilities to Federal members at more competitive premiums. Members will be able to take advantage of the same benefits and consumer tools.

“Consumer-directed plans have grown in popularity with Federal employees looking for lower premiums and greater control over their health care spending,” said Tom Bernatavitz, Aetna senior vice president of Federal Plans. “We have invested in resources and tools to make it easier for our members to get the greatest value out of these benefits.”

Aetna’s tools include the Member Payment Estimator, which gives members a more complete, personalized picture of the costs involved with their health care. The Member Payment Estimator provides real-time out-of-pocket cost estimates based on a member’s personal benefits plan. Aetna’s research has shown that members who use the Member Payment Estimator may save as much as $170 on out-of-pocket costs for more than 30 commonly selected health care services they can research with this tool.

Federal employees interested in learning more about the benefits and perks available through Aetna’s health plans can visit www.aetnafeds.com for more information.

About Aetna

Aetna is one of the nation's leading diversified health care benefits companies, serving approximately 36.7 million people with information and resources to help them make better informed decisions about their health care. Aetna offers a broad range of traditional, voluntary and consumer-directed health insurance products and related services, including medical, pharmacy, dental, behavioral health, group life and disability plans, and medical management capabilities, Medicaid health care management services and health information technology services. Our customers include employer groups, individuals, college students, part-time and hourly workers, health plans, health care providers, governmental units, government-sponsored plans, labor groups and expatriates. For more information, see www.aetna.com.