Aetna (NYSE: AET) announced its 2019 Medicare plans, featuring expanded plan options with low or $0 monthly plan premiums in many areas, enhanced benefits and a more personalized member experience.
“Our 2019 plan options will offer even more value to Medicare beneficiaries through a variety of expanded benefits, while still emphasizing affordability.”
“We are proud to be a leader in $0 premium plan offerings, with approximately 72 percent of our 2018 Individual Medicare Advantage members enrolled in $0 premium plans,”* said Christopher Ciano, who was appointed head of Aetna Medicare earlier this year. “Our 2019 plan options will offer even more value to Medicare beneficiaries through a variety of expanded benefits, while still emphasizing affordability.”
Expanded plan options for greater access and choice
For 2019, Aetna is offering Medicare Advantage Prescription Drug (MAPD) plans in 45 states plus Washington, D.C. Aetna added 358 new counties and 6 new states — Idaho, Minnesota, New Hampshire, New Mexico, Oregon and Rhode Island. In Minnesota, Aetna and Allina Health will be launching a joint venture Medicare Advantage plan in the greater Minneapolis/St. Paul area. In total, Aetna will offer MAPD plans in 1,416 counties in 2019.**
This represents the biggest expansion of Medicare Advantage in Aetna’s history, providing about 7.4 million more Medicare beneficiaries (46 million in total**) access to an Aetna plan.
Other 2019 plan options include:
- Explorer Plan Portable PPO: Medicare eligibles who like to travel will have increased access to our expanded Explorer Plan Portable PPO offering with a multi-state network. This plan is now available in 17 new states for a total of 28 states.
- Dual Eligible Special Needs Plan (DSNP): For those who qualify for both Medicare and Medicaid benefits, we expanded our DSNP offering to a total of 9 states: Existing DSNP markets include Florida, Pennsylvania and Virginia, with new DSNP markets in Georgia, Kansas, Louisiana, Missouri, Ohio and Texas.
- Prescription Drug Plan (PDP): All three plans in our PDP portfolio are now available in all 50 states and DC. This includes the Aetna Medicare Rx® Select (PDP) plan, which has an average monthly premium of $17; no deductible on Tier 1 and Tier 2 prescription drugs; $0 copay for Tier 1 prescription drugs at preferred pharmacies; and enhanced coverage in the doughnut hole.
- Medicare Supplement: We offer standard Medicare Supplement plans in 49 states and ancillary products in all 50 states. This includes a combined dental, vision and hearing product launched earlier this year.
- Group Medicare: Our Group Medicare business offers a suite of products for employers and retirees in all 50 states. This includes a new fall prevention program (also available for Individual Medicare Advantage members) and community-based support services.
Enhanced benefits for added convenience and improved overall wellness
To make it more convenient for our members to get the care they need, we expanded and enriched the following Medicare Advantage benefits for 2019:
- Meal delivery after a hospital discharge is now available with 73 percent of our plans, up from 5 percent.
- Over-the-counter (OTC) health and wellness products*** are available with 67 percent of our plans, up from 29 percent.
- Transportation to plan-approved locations is available with 21 percent of our plans, up from 7 percent.
In addition, we’ll continue to offer Medicare Advantage members access to the following benefits and services at no additional cost:
- Fitness memberships
- Routine vision, dental and hearing coverage****
- Resources For Living® service, which connects members to community-based providers that offer social, wellness and behavioral services
“We recognize that good health goes beyond just physical care,“ added Ciano. “That’s why our Medicare Advantage plans take a total approach to health and wellness, so our members can age more actively.”
Need help choosing a Medicare plan?
We’re here for you. Our plans are designed to help meet your health, lifestyle and financial goals. For more information, visit aetnamedicare.com. Or call us at 1-855-335-1407 (TTY: 711), 7 days a week, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. The Medicare Annual Enrollment Period runs from October 15 through December 7, 2018.
*Data as of September 2018.
**This number includes Aetna’s Joint Ventures in Minnesota (with Allina Health) and in Northern Virginia (with Innovation Health).
***For example, vitamins, dental, eye, ear care products, first aid items, cough, cold, allergy OTC medicines.
****Level and type of coverage vary by plan.
About Aetna
Aetna is one of the nation’s leading diversified health care benefits companies, serving an estimated 38.8 million people with information and resources to help them make better informed decisions about their health care. Aetna offers a broad range of traditional, voluntary and consumer-directed health insurance products and related services, including medical, pharmacy, dental and behavioral health plans, and medical management capabilities, Medicaid health care management services, workers’ compensation administrative services and health information technology products and services. Aetna’s customers include employer groups, individuals, college students, part-time and hourly workers, health plans, health care providers, governmental units, government-sponsored plans, labor groups and expatriates. For more information, see http://www.aetna.com and learn about how Aetna is helping to build a healthier world. @AetnaNews
Aetna Medicare is a PDP, HMO, PPO plan with a Medicare contract. Our SNPs also have contracts with State Medicaid programs. Enrollment in our plans depends on contract renewal. This information is not a complete description of benefits. Call 1-855-335-1407 (TTY: 711) for more information. Members who get “Extra Help” are not required to fill prescriptions at preferred network pharmacies in order to get Low Income Subsidy (LIS) copays. The pharmacy network may change at any time. You will receive notice when necessary. Aetna Medicare’s pharmacy network offers limited access to pharmacies with preferred cost sharing in: rural Missouri, urban Alabama and urban Tennessee. The lower costs advertised in our plan materials for these pharmacies may not be available at the pharmacy you use. For up-to-date information about our network pharmacies, including pharmacies with preferred cost sharing, members please call the number on your ID card, non-members please call 1-855-338-7027 (TTY: 711) or consult the online pharmacy directory at http://www.aetnamedicare.com/pharmacyhelp. See Evidence of Coverage for a complete description of plan benefits, exclusions, limitations and conditions of coverage. Plan features and availability may vary by service area.
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