Aetna Introduces PPO Plans for Individuals and Families in Pennsylvania and Delaware
Additional Benefits Available for Existing Pennsylvania Aetna Advantage HMO Plans
KING OF PRUSSIA, Pa., March 25, 2004
— Aetna (NYSE: ΑET)
announced today that it has begun marketing three new preferred provider organization (PPO) plans for individuals and families in 50 Pennsylvania counties and the state of Delaware. Designed to provide additional health coverage options for uninsured individuals and families, these new Aetna Advantage PPO Plans offer flexible plan designs, affordable premiums and comprehensive coverage for a wide variety of services. In addition, for the first time, Aetna is offering a new voluntary dental benefit and coverage for oral contraceptives to all plans for individuals and families.
“We have seen considerable interest in our Pennsylvania HMO plans since we began offering them a year ago,” said Frank McCauley, Aetna’s general manager for small business in the Mid-Atlantic Region. “Now, we are able to offer new PPO plans that will continue to address the health insurance needs of the growing uninsured population in Pennsylvania and Delaware – particularly the working uninsured,” McCauley said.
Aetna is offering individuals and families three new PPO plan designs. The plans offer members the freedom to go directly to any physician, hospital or health care professional – including specialists – for covered expenses, with no referrals required. If a member chooses a provider from Aetna’s network of participating physicians and hospitals, out-of-pocket costs will be lower.
All three PPO plans feature coverage for routine checkups and preventive care, specialty care, hospitalization and surgery, diagnostic testing and emergency care. The three plans also include prescription drug coverage, subject to a deductible, copayments and calendar-year maximum.
Aetna Advantage PPO Plans are being sold directly to consumers or through independent insurance agents and brokers. Aetna intends to offer the plans in four other states in 2004 and additional states in 2005.
“It is often very difficult for individuals to find basic, affordable coverage for themselves and their families,” said Adam Rudin, Aetna’s head of Individual products. “Aetna has worked diligently to develop additional products that meet their unique needs. We are committed to offering consumer-friendly health care coverage and related benefits programs designed to give members the tools and information they need to lead healthier lives.”
In March 2003, Aetna began offering three Aetna Advantage HMO Plans in 32 Pennsylvania counties. All three plans feature coverage for routine checkups and preventive care, specialty care, hospitalization and surgery, diagnostic testing and emergency care. The three plans also include prescription drug coverage, subject to a deductible, copayments and calendar-year maximum. Effective April 1, Aetna will offer two additional benefits as part of these plans – an oral contraceptive benefit and a hearing aid benefit.
Members have the option to enroll in the Aetna Basic Dental Plan with both the HMO and PPO medical plans at the time of their medical election. The Aetna Basic Dental Plan features coverage for most preventive and diagnostic services for small copayments when members visit their primary care dentists. Members have the option to visit any participating dentist without a referral, for many additional services for a reduced fee. Members have access to a large network of participating dentists and dental specialists.
Aetna’s Advantage HMO Plans are available in the following Pennsylvania counties:
- Southeastern Pennsylvania: Berks, Bucks, Carbon, Chester, Delaware, Lehigh, Monroe, Montgomery, Northampton and Philadelphia
- Central Pennsylvania: Adams, Cumberland, Dauphin, Franklin, Fulton, Lancaster, Lebanon, Perry, Schuylkill and York
- Western Pennsylvania: Allegheny, Armstrong, Beaver, Butler, Erie, Fayette, Greene, Lawrence, Mercer, Somerset, Washington and Westmoreland
Aetna’s Advantage PPO Plans are available in Delaware, the above counties in Pennsylvania as well as the following Pennsylvania counties:
- Southeastern Pennsylvania: Lackawanna, Luzerne, Pike, Susquehanna, Wayne and Wyoming
- Central Pennsylvania: Bradford, Clinton, Columbia, Lycoming, Northumberland, Snyder and Sullivan
- Western Pennsylvania: Blair, Cambria, Clarion, Indiana and Jefferson
Aetna members in Pennsylvania have access to a network of 150 hospitals, 5,820 primary care physicians and 13,571 specialists. Aetna members in Delaware have access to a network of 7 hospitals, 477 primary care physicians and 1,005 specialists.
Aetna is one of the nation’s leading providers of health care, dental, pharmacy, group life, disability and long-term care benefits, serving approximately 13.0 million medical members, 10.9 million dental members, 7.4 million pharmacy members and 12.3 million group insurance customers, as of December 31, 2003. The company has expansive nationwide networks of more than 600,000 health care services providers, including over 362,000 primary care and specialist physicians and 3,626 hospitals. For more information about Aetna, please visit the company’s web site at www.aetna.com.
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