The Aetna Dental/Medical IntegrationSM Program Offered At No Additional Charge To Employers With Both Aetna Dental And Medical Coverage
Pilot conducted with Aetna members supports program’s effectiveness as 63 percent who received outreach sought dental care
HARTFORD, Conn., May 7, 2007 — Aetna (NYSE: ΑET) announced today that effective immediately, it will automatically offer at no additional charge its Aetna Dental/Medical Integration (DMI) program for employers who have both Aetna dental and medical coverage. The DMI program benefits pregnant women and at-risk members with diabetes and cardiovascular diseases.
Employer groups with 51-3000 employees are also eligible for the new Integrated Pricing Program, which provides premium/fee discounts for combining medical and dental coverages. Multi-line discounts may also apply to larger-sized groups.
"Our goal in automatically including the Aetna Dental/Medical Integration program in eligible dental plans is to educate members on the importance of regular care and help avoid potential costs and risks that could negatively impact a person’s overall well-being," said Alan Hirschberg, Head of Aetna Dental Products and Services.
The Aetna Dental/Medical Integration program is comprised of enhanced benefits, including an extra cleaning, full coverage for certain periodontal services and a variety of outreach methods to at-risk members who are not currently seeking dental care. As a result of various outreach methods during a two-year pilot with 500,000 Aetna members, 63 percent of those at-risk members who had not been to the dentist in 12 months sought dental care.
Having both medical and dental claims data helps Aetna to create a complete picture of a member’s claim history and identify at-risk members who have the greatest need for preventive care. Aetna then conducts outreach to at-risk members in order to help prevent periodontal disease or identify it early enough to provide treatment and prevent a worsening condition.
Aetna Dental launched its DMI program last fall following a published research analysis it conducted with Columbia University College of Dental Medicine which found that high-risk individuals that sought earlier dental care lowered the risk or severity of their condition and subsequently, lowered their overall medical costs.1
About Aetna Dental®
Aetna Dental is one of the nation’s leading providers of integrated and standalone dental products, serving 13.4 million total dental members. Aetna also offers some of the largest dental networks available in the industry today. In 2006, Aetna launched its Dental/Medical Integration program, which includes enhanced benefits and an outreach program, helping to enable consumers to achieve optimal health. Aetna is the brand name used for products and services provided by one or more of the Aetna group of subsidiary companies. The Aetna companies that offer, underwrite or administer dental benefits coverage include Aetna Health Inc., Aetna Health of California Inc., Aetna Health of the Carolinas Inc., Aetna Health of Illinois Inc., Aetna Health Insurance Company of New York, Corporate Health Insurance Company, Aetna Dental Inc., Aetna Dental of California Inc. and/or Aetna Life Insurance Company.
About Aetna
Aetna is one of the nation’s leading diversified health care benefits companies, serving approximately 34.9 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.
1 An Examination of Periodontal Treatment and Per Member Per Month (PMPM) Medical Costs in an Insured Population, BMC Health Services Research, August 16, 2006.
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