Aetna Helps Members Affected by Typhoon Haiyan

HARTFORD, Conn.

Aetna (NYSE: AET) is committed to making it easier for members affected by the widespread destruction from Typhoon Haiyan that struck the Philippines last weekend.

The company is making its international employee assistance program available to all global members and is extending the deadlines for filing claims and appeals by members who have been impacted. In addition, the Aetna Foundation is matching employee donations dollar-for-dollar for disaster relief.

“Our thoughts are with those who have been affected by this devastating storm,” said Richard di Benedetto, president of Aetna International, the company’s global health care benefits business. “We want to help our customers get the care and medications they need, understanding that many may be experiencing enormous disruption caused by damage to their homes, health infrastructure and transport.

“Our Member Services Team in Manila is on-hand to help and our operations are working normally,” said di Benedetto. “We are grateful that our team members in the region are safe and accounted for.”

Aetna actions include:

• Employee Assistance Program (EAP) resources are available to all Aetna International members regardless of whether they have the benefit in their plans. Aetna members should call the member services telephone number on the back of their Aetna member card for access;
• Affected Aetna members can seek routine or emergency care anywhere, as needed, without a referral or pre-authorization;
• Affected Aetna members may refill their prescriptions early, as needed, or refill a prescription that may have been lost, damaged or destroyed;
• Aetna is monitoring the storm’s impact on its network doctors, hospitals and other health care providers. The company will work closely with providers to make further modifications to its policies as necessary to ensure members have access to care; and
• In recognition of the practical issues members may face, Aetna is extending claim and appeal filing times for those affected by the storm.

About Aetna International

Aetna International is committed to helping create a stronger, healthier global community by delivering comprehensive health benefits and health management solutions worldwide. Aetna International’s expatriate business is one of the industry’s largest and most prominent international health benefits providers, supporting more than 500,000 members worldwide. The organisation’s expatriate offerings include medical, dental, vision, life, disability and emergency assistance. Aetna International’s health management business collaborates with health care systems, government entities and plan sponsors around the world to design and build locally applied health management solutions to improve health, quality and cost outcomes. For more information, see www.aetnainternational.com.

About Aetna

Aetna is one of the nation’s leading diversified health care benefits companies, serving an estimated 44 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, behavioral health, group life and disability 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 www.aetna.com.