HARTFORD, Conn., September 7, 2006 — Aetna (NYSE: ΑET) announced today the geographical expansion of its performance network featuring Aexcel-designated specialist physicians. Aetna applies Aexcel designation to certain specialists who, in addition to being part of Aetna’s network, meet certain thresholds for clinical performance and cost efficiency. Effective January 2007, Aetna’s Performance Network featuring Aexcel-designated specialists will be available in a total of 26 markets with the addition of Indianapolis, Ind.; Tulsa and Oklahoma City, Okla.; San Diego, Calif.; Richmond, Va.; and Cincinnati, Ohio.
"As health care costs continue to rise, employers and consumers are more focused on receiving information that will help them make value-based health care purchasing decisions," said Donald Storey, M.D., Aetna’s senior medical director for Aexcel. "We’re pleased to be able to expand Aexcel’s availability to more constituents."
Aetna worked closely with a number of large employers to develop Aexcel, and interest continues to build. The company currently has 35 Aexcel customers and 483,000 members.
Consumers often have little access to independent, objective information when they choose specialists. Aexcel uses a rigorous evaluation process to identify specialists who have shown they deliver cost-effective care.
"Costco is focused on helping our employees become better health care consumers. Aexcel helps us achieve that goal by providing our employees with information to help them choose health care providers based on clinical quality and cost efficiency," said Jay Tihinen, assistant vice president, Benefits and Retirement Plans, Costco Wholesale.
Aexcel-designated specialists are the centerpiece of Aetna’s Performance Network, a network option that also includes Aetna participating primary care providers, hospitals and physicians in non-Aexcel specialties. Doctors within 12 specialties were evaluated using measures of clinical performance and efficiency in their use of health care resources.
The specialties included in Aexcel are cardiology, cardiothoracic surgery, gastroenterology, general surgery, obstetrics/gynecology, orthopedics, otolaryngology, neurology, neurosurgery, plastic surgery, vascular surgery and urology.
Aexcel currently is available in Arizona; Atlanta; Austin, San Antonio, Dallas/Ft. Worth and Houston, Texas; Chicago; Cleveland and Columbus, Ohio; Connecticut; Maine; Metropolitan DC (Maryland, the District of Columbia and Northern Virginia); Metropolitan New York/Northern New Jersey; North Florida; Los Angeles and Northern/Central Valley, Calif.; Seattle/Western Washington state; and Tampa, Orlando and South Florida (Dade and Broward Counties).
Aetna is one of the nation’s leading diversified health care benefits companies, serving approximately 29.9 million people with information and resources to help them make better informed decisions about their health care. Aetna offers a broad range of traditional and consumer-directed health insurance products and related services, including medical, pharmacy, dental, behavioral health, group life, long-term care and disability plans, and medical management capabilities. Our customers include employer groups, individuals, college students, part-time and hourly workers, health plans and government-sponsored plans. www.aetna.com
