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Aetna to Use Encryption To Safeguard Data Protecting the privacy and security of sensitive information has always been a
priority at Aetna. In keeping with this commitment, Aetna will be further strengthening
its protection of member health and financial information through the use of encrypted
e-mail.
Personal information on the Aetna Navigator™ website is already secure, as are the incoming e-mails that members use to send inquiries to Aetna Member Services from "Contact Us." Beginning in mid-April, Aetna will encrypt all outgoing Internet e-mails that contain member-specific health and financial data, including, but not limited to, information related to:
- Personal and demographic data (e.g., name, SSN, address)
- Employment
- Benefit payments
- Identity of doctors, dentists and other health care professionals and facilities
- Diagnoses or treatments
- Claim status
- Service associated with behavioral health or sexually transmitted diseases.
Aetna's use of encrypted e-mail enables us to send quick, reliable communications while maintaining our commitment to protecting the confidentiality of member-specific information.
What is encrypted e-mail?
Encrypted e-mail is scrambled by the sender's e-mail program, which renders it unreadable until it is descrambled or "decrypted" by the recipient. Unencrypted e-mail is similar to a postcard - the message can be viewed by anyone who picks it up. Encrypted e-mail is similar to a sealed letter -- the content cannot be viewed until the envelope is opened - except in this case the envelope has a lock on it to which only the recipient has a key!
How will Aetna's use of encrypted e-mail impact members?
- Whenever Aetna transmits member-specific health or financial information via Internet e-mail, the e-mail will include a message indicating that the content has been secured via encryption.
- Encrypted e-mails from Aetna will include instructions on how to decrypt the message for viewing - this will require the member to perform a few simple clicks.
Any member who receives an encrypted e-mail from Aetna will be able to send an encrypted reply.
- Members can initiate an encrypted e-mail message to Aetna through Aetna Navigator or by using the Contact Us feature on Aetna.com. In all cases, information submitted to Member Services on a Contact Us form from either Aetna Navigator or Aetna.com is automatically secure and encrypted.
- All personalized information on Aetna Navigator is secure.
- All e-mail responses from Aetna that include personal information are secure and encrypted. In instances where we cannot encrypt such information, we will send the response by U.S. mail, rather than e-mail.
Will there be any changes to the way Aetna determines who can receive member-specific health and financial information?
No. Aetna's procedures for determining if a third party can receive member health and financial information will remain in place, i.e., Aetna employees will continue to verify whether a requestor is authorized to receive the information before it is released.
Whom should members call with questions?
Each encrypted e-mail from Aetna will include instructions on how to open the message and view the secure content. In the event a member receives an error message while in the process of trying to open an Aetna-generated encrypted e-mail, the error message will provide guidance for troubleshooting the problem and/or a telephone number to call for assistance.
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