Plan For Your Health And Magic Johnson Enterprises Help Uninsured Americans Take The First Step To Better Health
New state-by-state guide raises awareness about free and low-cost health insurance programs available to millions of Americans
HARTFORD, Conn., April 28, 2008 — It’s no secret that accessing health care is a challenge for the 47 million Americans who are uninsured. In fact, a recent survey by Plan for Your Health, the public education program from Aetna (NYSE: ΑET) and the Financial Planning Association®(FPA®), found that 82 percent of uninsured adults do not receive regular medical care and nearly half avoid care because of their lack of health insurance. Less widely known is the fact that free or low-cost health insurance programs — such as Medicaid and State Children’s Health Insurance Programs (SCHIP) — are available, but 11 million Americans who are eligible for these programs are not enrolled and remain uninsured. As part of Cover the Uninsured Week, Plan for Your Health and Magic Johnson Enterprises are kicking off an educational campaign to inform eligible Americans about these programs.
"Lack of information should never be a barrier to better health. Yet, that’s exactly what is occurring with the 11 million Americans who are eligible for free or low-cost health insurance programs, yet remain uninsured," said Aetna Chairman and CEO Ronald A. Williams. "That’s why Aetna and Magic Johnson Enterprises are committed to reaching these individuals, educating them about their options, and providing them with information on how to access the health care services they need. Connecting eligible individuals with available programs can have an enormous impact on their health and quality of life, while helping to reduce the number of uninsured in this country."
Insure Your Health: A State-by-State Guide to Finding Free or Low-Cost Health Insurance Programs, was created by Aetna in partnership with Magic Johnson Enterprises to raise awareness about publicly available programs that can provide health insurance to the uninsured. The guide provides health insurance basics, defines key terms and includes contact information for publicly available programs that can help people who don’t have insurance. The guide can be ordered for free at www.PlanforYourHealth.com, or by calling 1-877-GUIDE-14. Electronic copies of the guide can be downloaded in English at the website, and will soon be available in Spanish at www.PlanifiqueParaSuSalud.com.
"Maintaining good health is easier said than done for the millions of Americans who are living without health insurance," said Earvin "Magic" Johnson, chairman and CEO of Magic Johnson Enterprises. "If you or your family qualify for coverage, you really owe it to yourself to find out about the available programs.
"That’s why I’m excited to play a role in delivering the message that free and low-cost health insurance programs are available to many Americans in their own communities, you just need to know where to look. Individuals who take advantage of our resource guide are taking a first step on the road to better health," added Johnson.
"We believe that Earvin’s unique ability to successfully reach into diverse and urban communities will carry our message far and wide, and have a real and positive impact on the number of individuals enrolling in free and low-cost health insurance programs," said Williams. Aetna and Magic Johnson Enterprises recently launched a multiyear relationship aimed at empowering businesses and ethnically diverse communities to make informed choices about health care options.
According to the recent Plan for Your Health survey of 1,133 uninsured adults:
More than three-quarters of respondents (78 percent) say that although they are currently uninsured, they feel that it’s important to have health insurance. Over one-third of respondents (37 percent) feel that their lack of health insurance has worsened their health.
Eighty percent of uninsured Americans feel they cannot obtain health insurance because of financial reasons. However, the majority of people surveyed (63 percent) report being unaware or only slightly aware of their state’s programs that help the uninsured.
When it comes to medical care, almost half of uninsured adults (47 percent) have recently experienced a time that they needed to see a doctor, but their lack of insurance prevented them from doing so. Nearly a quarter (23 percent) report that they only receive emergency medical treatment.
Aetna launched the Plan for Your Health campaign in partnership with the Financial Planning Association in September 2004 to help all Americans make smart health benefits and financial planning decisions at every stage of life. The campaign website, www.PlanforYourHealth.com, offers tips, tools and information to help consumers choose, use and get the most value from their health benefits.
About the Survey
Ipsos Public Affairs conducted an online Omnibus survey from March 19-31, 2008 with a nationally representative sample of 1,133 uninsured adults, aged 18 years and older. The survey results are weighted to reflect the general population of uninsured adults in the United States based on gender, age, household income and employment status. The margin of error is +/- 2.9 percentage points.
About Aetna
Aetna is one of the nation’s leading diversified health care benefits companies, serving approximately 37.3 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 and disability plans, and medical management capabilities and health care management services for Medicaid plans. Our customers include employer groups, individuals, college students, part-time and hourly workers, health plans, governmental units, government-sponsored plans, labor groups and expatriates. www.aetna.com
About Magic Johnson Enterprises
Magic Johnson Enterprises has a long-standing history of working with major retailers on issues related to diversity and the multicultural consumer such as Starbucks, Burger King, NASCAR, Washington Mutual, Cadbury Schweppes, Lincoln, T.G.I. Fridays and 24 Hour Fitness. Magic Johnson Enterprises also recently announced an alliance with Aetna to similarly target ethnically diverse communities to encourage them to make informed choices about their health care options. www.magicjohnson.com
About Plan for Your Health
Plan for Your Health, a public education campaign from Aetna and the Financial Planning Association, gives consumers the information they need to make health benefits and financial choices that meet their needs now and in the future. The Web site focuses on five life events when women need to re-examine their health benefits — career, marriage, family, living single and retirement — and offers consumer-friendly tools, tips and content that support well-informed decision-making. www.PlanforYourHealth.com
About The Financial Planning Association® (FPA®)
FPA is the leadership and advocacy organization connecting those who provide, support and benefit from professional financial planning. FPA demonstrates and supports a professional commitment to education and a client-centered financial planning process. Based in Denver, Colo., FPA has over 100 chapters throughout the country representing more than 28,000 members involved in all facets of providing financial planning services. Working in alliance with academic leaders, legislative and regulatory bodies, financial services firms and consumer interest organizations, FPA is the community that fosters the value of financial planning and advances the financial planning profession. www.FPAnet.org
