Is Aetna Medicare Good Insurance

How Would Having Original Medicare Medigap And A Part D Plan Compare With My Employer

If you opt for Original Medicare plus a Part D Prescription Drug Plan and a Medigap supplement, the coverage is likely to be just as good as what you had previously from your employer. Depending on which Medigap supplement and Part D Prescription drug plan you choose, your out-of-pocket expenses could end up being very minimal.

There are Medigap supplements that cover all or nearly all of Original Medicares out-of-pocket charges, with the exception of prescriptions, which are covered by Part D plans.

Original Medicare paired with a Medicare Part D Prescription Drug Plan and a Medigap supplement provides very solid coverage, and it also gives you access to most doctors and hospitals across the nation. When compared with the more limited provider networks that commercial health insurance plans typically have, the access to doctors and hospitals under Medicare is likely to be a welcome change for many new Medicare beneficiaries

Wellcare And Aetna Mobile Apps Options

The MyWellCare app allows you to keep track of your benefits, look for providers, and use it as a digital ID Card.

The Aetna Health app allows you to find a doctor in your area and see estimates of what certain procedures may cost. You can also view your benefits, review account balances, and manage your claims. The App is available on ios and Android.

How Do Medicare Advantage Plans Provide Extra Benefits At A Reasonable Price

Medicare Advantage plans harness the power of care networks. These are groups of doctors and other health care professionals who contract with your plan. These networks help keep costs down. It also means your care may not be covered if you go outside your plans network. So before you sign up, make sure your favorite doctors are in a plans network.

Its also important to remember that not all plans are alike. Two of the most common types are Health Maintenance Organizations and Preferred Provider Organizations .

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Are The Ratings And Consumer Reviews Positive

Medicare star ratings vary by state, but the overall rating for 2021 is 4 out of 5 stars.

The National Committee for Quality Assurance rates Aetna solidly across all states for Medicare, with a 4.5 rating across the board. Although the underlying ratings in each state vary, there is not one state where they offer coverage that ranked any lower. That is a very positive sign for Aetna.

The Better Business Bureau gives Aetna, Inc. an A+ rating. There is a total of 568 customer complaints on file in the past three years. Given that those customer complaints cover all of Aetnas approximately 23 million policyholders in all areas of health insurance, that is a really low complaint volume. Only 177 of those customer service complaints were closed in the past 12 months.

Consumer Affairs has 789 reviews of the health insurer, with an overall 1.5-star rating. That rating is based only on the 106 ratings by policyholders submitted in the past year. Bearing in mind again the size of this company, and the fact that these ratings apply to all of the companys insurance products and not only Medicare, those numbers are again quite low.

Aetna Vs Uhc: Medicare Part D And Medicare Supplement Plans

Medicare Part D plans provide coverage for prescription medications, which is not something typically covered by Medicare Part A or Part B .

Aetna and UnitedHealthcare each offer several different Medicare Part D plans, and each company sells these plans in all 50 states and Washington D.C.

Each company offers a Part D plan with a low premium and high deductible, a plan with a high premium and low deductible and a plan with a mid-range premium and mid-range deductible to provide a plan option to consumers of every budget.

UnitedHealthcare utilizes many of the most popular pharmacies like Walgreens, along with OptumRx for mail-order prescriptions.

Aetna partners with CVS, Kroger, Costco, Safeway/Albertsons and other preferred pharmacies. Both carriers provide plenty of in-network pharmacy locations for a members needs.

Medicare Supplement Insurance plans help pay for many of the out-of-pocket costs tied to Medicare Part A and Part B, such as deductibles, copayments and coinsurance.

There are 10 standardized types of Medigap plans available in most states, each of which have benefits that are standardized by the federal government.

Aetna offers seven different Medigap plans, while UnitedHealthcare offers eight different plans. Plan availability may vary where you live, however.

You can see the list of benefits covered by each plan and learn more about how they can help you save money by reviewing the Medicare Supplement plans comparison chart.

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Aetna Medicare Plan Options

Aetna offers a wide selection of HMO and PPO Medicare Advantage Plans. Coverage options vary by county, but if you live in a major city, you can typically choose between four to 10 plans. HMOs have lower copays and out-of-pocket expenses since most services are delivered by a network of contracted providers. You must select a primary care physician, and pre-authorizations are generally required for specialist visits. PPOs give you the freedom to visit in- or out-of-network providers, although copays and coinsurance rates are lower when you choose a preferred provider.

Aetna has various Part D and Medigap plan selections specific to your state of residence. Learn more about some of the Aetna Medicare plan options that may be available to you.

Compare some of your Aetna Medicare options before making a decision:

*Based on pricing in Nashville, Tennessee

History Of The Company

The Aetna company has been around for a long time. Its a company that has traditionally sold insurance and other services. The main payers are employment-paid benefits or through Medicare. In 2008, the company became a subsidiary of CVS.

Aetna became a big player in the insurance business when attorney Henry Ellsworth became president of the Aetna Insurance Company in Hartford, Connecticut, in 1819. Its interesting to note that the name Aetna is based on a volcano located on the shores of Sicily. At the time, it was the most active volcano in Europe.

Aetna Insurance Company organized an annuity fund to sell life insurance in 1850. The Aetna name was retained to take advantage of the good reputation of the original Aetna. After years of history working with customers in the insurance business, Aetna has also become a major player in the Medicare supplement insurance arena. Seek them out with confidence when choosing your Medigap supplement.

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Aetna Financial Strength Ratings

Moodys Investors Service rated the long-term senior debt and financial strength of Aetna Inc. as Baa2, and they were affirmed with a stable outlook.3

Over 11 percent of all Medicare Advantage enrollees in 2020 are enrolled in an Aetna Medicare plan. This accounts for around 2.7 million Medicare Advantage plan beneficiaries.4

What States Offer Aetna Medicare Advantage Plans

Aetna offers Medicare Advantage plans in 49 states. Medicare Advantage plans are not currently sold in Alaska.

Although there is wide availability throughout the country, specific types of plans and coverage options may only be offered in certain areas. This means that if your relative in another state has an Aetna plan, the same plan might not be available to you.

Its important to know that these costs dont include your monthly Part B premium, which youll have to pay in addition to your Part C plan costs.

By entering your ZIP code into Medicares plan finder tool, you can compare the various plans available in your area.

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Important: Annual Medicare Compliance Program Requirements

Participating providers in our Medicare Advantage , Medicare-Medicaid , Dual Eligible or Fully Integrated Special Needs Plans are required to meet the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services compliance program requirements for first-tier, downstream and related entities as identified in the Medicare compliance FDR program guideand/or DSNP Model of Care training.

New for 2021

• MA/MMP: Providers who participate only in our MA/MMP plans no longer need to complete an annual FDR Attestation.

• MA/ DSNP/FIDE: Providers who are located in states/regions that offer MA/DSNP/FIDE plans continue to be required to complete the Annual DSNP Model of Care training and attestation.

• To verify which states this applies to, please click here: 2021 DSNP Service Area

• Find DSNP/FIDE plans information & FAQs at this link: Medicare and Dual Special Needs Plans expansion information and resources

• Delegated Entities: Provider attestation collection for the FDR compliance requirements continue to be required for Delegated Entities. Delegated entities will receive their attestation directly through Adobe Sign. Completion of the DSNP MOC training and the related attestation is still required.

Notification regarding requirements will be sent directly to providers via Adobe Sign email, postcard or you can access the training and attestation at the link below. Our Compliance Department completes random audits to ensure compliance on an annual basis.

Benefits Summary When You Select Aetna Medicare Advantage

If Medicare Parts A & B are not your primary coverage , you will be responsible for the deductible and coinsurance. For coverage details on the Aetna Advantage plan without Medicare, please visit our plan brochure. Please see the Medicare Advantage plan benefits guide for coverage details on the Aetna Medicare Advantage Plan.

Aetna is the brand name used for products and services provided by one or more of the Aetna group of subsidiary companies, including Aetna Life Insurance Company and its affiliates .

Aetna Resources For LivingSM is the brand name used for products and services offered through the Aetna group of subsidiary companies . The EAP is administered by Aetna Behavioral Health, LLC. and in California for Knox-Keene plans, Health and Human Resources Center, Inc.

This is a brief description of the features of this Aetna health benefits plan. Before making a decision, please read the Plan’s applicable Federal brochure. All benefits are subject to the definitions, limitations, and exclusions set forth in the Federal brochure.

All Aetna plans include discounts on eyewear, LASIK eye surgery, gym memberships, massage therapy, acupuncture, weight-loss programs and more.

For information about our plans available through the Federal Employees Dental and Vision Insurance Program , please visit our Dental PPO Plan site or our Aetna Vision Preferred site.

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Aetna Medicare Advantage Hmo

As one of its Medicare plans, Aetna offers an HMO that allows you to choose from a list of doctors and services within the providers network. While this may limit which doctors youre covered by, with an insurance company as large as Aetna, you will most likely be able to find an option in their network that you feel comfortable with.

Because of this in-network restriction, you will need to select a primary care physician within Aetnas network to be your home base for your medical needs. From there, your doctor will refer to other in-network doctors if you need to see a specialist.

The Aetna Medicare Advantage HMO offers a host of other coverages outside of your basic services covered by parts A and B. According to Aetna, nearly 20 states including Florida, Texas, and New York are in its custom HMO plan that offers full coverage on vision, hearing, rehab services, inpatient mental health facilities, and more on top of everything parts A and B cover. This plan also offers minimal co-payments on visits to your primary care physician, the emergency room, and other specialist visits.

Aetna also offers a version of an HMO plan called a Open Access HMO. With this plan, you can see any in-network primary care physician or specialist without a referral. This gives you more freedom in-network without having to pay large costs for going out-of-network.

What Medicare Plans Does Aetna Cover

Aetna is a healthcare company that offers a wide range of insurance programs for people of all ages. It also provides elderly people with multiple Medicare insurance options, allowing you to find a plan that is the best fit for you or a loved one.

• How To Get A Medicare Plan With Aetna

Aetna itself accounts for approximately 7 percent of all Medicare Advantage enrollees. It has the fifth-largest market share of Medicare Advantage plans of any insurance company as of 2017. Medicare Advantage enrollment numbers are expected to reach an all-time high in 2019 with more than 22 million customers, so if Aetnas 7 percent market share from 2017 holds steady for 2019, the company should expect more than 1.5 million enrollees in its Medicare programs.

Lets discuss the plans Aetna offers, where and when theyre offered, and how to get them

What makes Advantage plans so enticing is that they usually offer additional preventive coverage, which can include vision and dental, and prescription drug coverage.

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Switch Your Plan Not Your Doctor

Though you have a new plan option, chances are you may be able to continue seeing your doctors. This is because this plan is the Aetna Medicare Plan with an extended service area . This is a type of Medicare Advantage plan. With this type of plan you pay the same cost for any doctor or hospital, according to the costs listed on the plan benefits summary. The provider must be eligible to receive Medicare payment and accept the Aetna plan.

Instructions on how to use Aetna Medicare Advantage provider search »

• Step 1: After clicking on Find your provider, choose 2020 Medicare plans you through your employer
• Step 2: Enter your home zip code OR city, state then select from the drop-down
• Step 3: Choose select plan to find providers
• Step 4: Choose Medicare Advantage with Prescription Drug plan
• Step 5: Under PPO section Select Aetna Medicare Plan with Extended Service Area *
• Step 6: Then choose medical and click continue to find care at the bottom right of your screen to find providers

*As a member of the Aetna Medicare Plan with an Extended Service Area , you can receive services from any provider that is eligible to receive Medicare payment and is willing to treat you. Your cost share will be the same as in-network care. Out-of-network providers are under no obligation to treat Aetna members, except in emergency situations.

Can I Get An Aetna Medicare Advantage Plan Instead Of Medigap

You can get an Aetna Medicare Advantage plan or a Medicare Supplement plan, but not both at the same time.16

Medicare Advantage may be right for you if youre looking for lower monthly premiums, and you dont mind using provider networks.

You must have Part A and B to enroll just as you do with Medigap, but the two work differently. Unlike Medigap, which only supplements Original Medicare, Medicare Advantage is a comprehensive health insurance plan that provides your Part A hospital and Part B medical benefits. This makes it an alternative to Original Medicare.17

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Aetna Medicare Advantage Service Area

Aetna offers Medicare Advantage Prescription Drug plans in 46 states and Washington, D.C., including 1,793 counties. In terms of stand-alone prescription drug plans, Aetna has plans in all 50 states and D.C.

Aetna expanded its Dual Eligible Special Needs Plan to 23 states, and the company offers Aetna Medicare Eagle MA plans a new offering in 27 states.

Overall, Aetna is the fifth-largest health insurer in the country , and it is the third-largest in terms of for-profit health plans . Nearly 2.7 million Medicare beneficiaries are enrolled in Aetna Medicare Advantage plans, and the company added 210,000 new members for the 2021 plan year.

How Do Aetna’s Medicare Advantage Plans Work

Aetna Medicare Advantage is private insurance. This means that Aetna determines plan benefits, premiums, and cost-sharing. It also means that Aetna, not Medicare, handles your insurance claims. You do still retain all your Medicare rights and protections if you choose an Aetna plan.

Some plans have a monthly premium in addition to your standard Part B premium, but most people enroll in a $0 premium HMO plan. You may have an annual medical deductible, depending on the plan. Unlike Original Medicare, which has separate deductibles for Part A and Part B, you only pay one deductible each year with Medicare Advantage.

Most plans include Part D prescription drug coverage with $0 copays for preferred generic drugs and no Part D deductible.

All Aetna Medicare Advantage plans include the SilverSneakers fitness program. Many cover routine vision, dental, and hearing care for no additional premium. Aetna also added some of the new expanded benefits approved by CMS in 2018. These benefits include home meal delivery, home health monitoring, non-medical transportation, and coverage for over-the-counter medications and devices.

All Aetna Medicare Advantage plans cap your out-of-pocket spending each year. CMS sets the annual maximum . The good news is that many Aetna plans set their spending cap below the government maximum.

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Find The Right Medicare Advantage Plan

Its important to do your research before selecting a health plan for yourself. Here are some questions to consider asking:

• What are the plans costs? Do you understand what the plans premium, deductibles, copays and/or coinsurance will be? Can you afford them?

• Is your doctor in-network? If you have a preferred medical provider or providers, make sure they participate in the plans network.

• Are your prescriptions covered? If youre on medication, its crucial to understand how the plan covers it. What tier are your prescription drugs on, and are there any coverage rules that apply to them?

• Is there dental coverage? Does the plan offer routine coverage for vision, dental and hearing needs?

• Are there extras? Does the plan offer any extra benefits, such as fitness memberships, transportation benefits or meal delivery?

If you have additional questions about Medicare, visit Medicare.gov or call 1-800-MEDICARE .

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