Aetna Expands Health Insurance Options for Individuals and Their Families into All Texas Counties
biz.yahoo.com
Wednesday April 12, 10:51 am ET
ARLINGTON, Texas--(BUSINESS WIRE)--April 12, 2006--Aetna (NYSE:AET) announced today that it has made available six preferred provider organization (PPO) plans for individuals and their families in 66 new counties throughout South and West Texas, the Hill Country, Central Texas and the Brazos Valley. Now available in all Texas counties, the six PPO plans, including two Aetna high-deductible health plans, are designed to provide affordable, comprehensive health coverage options for individuals and their families.
"We have seen strong interest in these plans within the past year, and believe it is important to broaden our offerings, allowing individuals and their families throughout the state of Texas the opportunity to enroll in cost-effective health plans that provide a wide range of choices and benefits levels," said Laurie Brubaker, head of Aetna Individual Markets. "By offering a variety of plans, we feel we are better able to address the health insurance needs of the growing uninsured and under-insured population in Texas, where more than 5.4 million people - or 25 percent of the population - are uninsured."(1)
Aetna is offering individuals and their families six new PPO plan designs. Four of the plans, which are called Aetna Advantage PPO plans, offer members the freedom to go directly to any doctor, hospital or health care professional - including specialists - for covered expenses, with no referrals required. If a member chooses a health care professional from Aetna's network of participating physicians and hospitals, out-of-pocket costs will be lower. The plans include "first dollar coverage" and no deductibles for in-network doctor office visits.
All Aetna Advantage PPO plans feature coverage for routine checkups and preventive care, specialty care, chiropractic care, hospitalization and surgery, diagnostic testing and emergency care, subject to applicable copayments, coinsurance and deductibles. The plans also include prescription drug coverage, subject to a deductible, copayments and calendar-year maximum, with no deductibles for generic prescriptions.
The additional two plans, Aetna high-deductible health plans, compatible with the Aetna HealthFund® Health Savings Account (HSA), offer members similar benefits to the Aetna Advantage PPO plans. However, members can take advantage of a flexible health benefits plan paired with an HSA. HSAs are tax-advantaged accounts used to pay for qualified medical expenses. HSA contributions are tax deductible and earn interest tax free. HSAs are portable, and unused balances can be carried forward from year to year, making them a strong value for consumers.
"We are dedicated to satisfying consumers' needs for choice, simplicity and affordability," said Brubaker. "Our plans are designed to address unique needs during particular stages in life such as graduating from college, getting married, raising a family, becoming a sole proprietor, being between jobs or retiring early. Individuals can log on to our website, choose the health insurance plans that best fit their health care needs, receive quotes and apply online."
In addition to Texas, Aetna plans for individuals and their families are currently being sold directly to consumers or through independent insurance agents and brokers in Arizona, California, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Maryland, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Virginia and Washington, D.C. |
