Aetna Signs Agreement with University of Florida and Shands Jacksonville

-- Contract Expands Access for Medicare Plan Members --

JACKSONVILLE, Fla.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Aetna (NYSE: AET) announced that it has reached agreement with the University of Florida and Shands Jacksonville Medical Center on a contract that provides access for Aetna’s Medicare Advantage members to the hospital’s facilities and physicians. The contract takes effect Dec. 15.

Under this new agreement, Aetna Medicare Advantage plan members will be able to receive covered services, at in-network rates, from Shands Jacksonville Medical Center, Shands Homecare and the University of Florida Proton Therapy Institute. The contract also includes the University of Florida Jacksonville physicians, adding 545 doctors to Aetna’s North Florida Medicare Advantage network.

The University of Florida and Shands Jacksonville Medical Center had operated since 2000 under contracts that applied only to members of Aetna’s commercial plans.

"Aetna has enjoyed a strong business relationship with the University of Florida and Shands Jacksonville Medical Center, for several years,” said Tom Nasby, Aetna’s vice president of network operations for North Florida. “We’re very happy to announce this new contract, which expands in-network access to our Medicare Advantage plan members in the Jacksonville area.”

Aetna provides health benefits to approximately 235,000 members in the North Florida area. Those members have access to a network that includes 32 contracted hospitals and more than 5,200 primary care physicians and specialists.

About Aetna

Aetna is one of the nation’s leading diversified health care benefits companies, serving approximately 36.3 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. For more information, see www.aetna.com.

Aetna
Walt Cherniak, 410-691-1405
[email protected]

Source: Aetna