Aetna Launches Animated, Online Educational Tutorial
Earlier this year, a survey from Aetna (NYSE: AET)
found that 69 percent of consumers had never heard of individual health
insurance plans or did not know much about them. With a new animated
online tool developed by Aetna called "The
15-Minute Health
Insurance Guide” (www.healthguidein15.com),
consumers can quickly and easily learn what to look for when buying an
individual insurance plan.
The guide focuses on the important aspects that consumers need to
consider when purchasing an individual health insurance plan, such as
the coverage the plan will provide for preventive care, doctor’s visits,
prescription medication and more. It also describes the different parts
of a plan that factor into the total cost, such as premiums,
deductibles, co-pays and coinsurance, and maximum out-of-pocket payments.
"More people are looking at individual health insurance options, whether
it is because they don’t have coverage through their employer, are
retiring early and are not yet eligible for Medicare, or are looking for
coverage after a layoff,” said Ann Bryan, head of Aetna's AARP Essential
Premier Health Insurance program. "Before people begin comparing plans,
it is important they have some general knowledge on the different
features of a health plan and an idea of what type of plan would best
fit their specific needs, and this tool can help people figure that out.”
The free online tutorial is broken into eight short chapters. In
addition to the audio description that accompanies the animated
presentation, captions are available. Consumers can also download key
information, email the link to a friend or share it through various
social networking sites such as Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter. The
entire 15-Minute Health Insurance Guide has also been divided into two
sections and posted to YouTube (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xQ1lM8narFo
and http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zxGpbIUVwbw).
The development of this tool is part of a long-term relationship between
Aetna and AARP. In January 2008, Aetna launched the AARP® Essential
Premier Health Insurance suite of products available to AARP members
ages 50-64 and their dependents. These products are currently available
in 31 states and Washington, D.C.*
Additional Information
In addition to the introductory section on coverage and cost, the brief
chapters of the 15-Minute Health Insurance Guide are:
-
Premiums and Deductibles - gives a definition of these terms
and describes how they are related.
-
"Co” Considerations – provides details on coinsurance and
co-pays and how insurers and members share the cost of health care
services.
-
Hospitals and Networks – describes how people can save money by
receiving care at in-network health care providers.
-
Stay Well – emphasizes the importance of preventive care and
that many insurers offer discounts on things like weight management
programs and gym memberships.
-
Rx – contains information on the differences between generic
and brand-name prescription drugs, as well as a definition of a
prescription drug formulary.
-
What to Focus On – includes resources on how people can compare
the different companies that offer individual insurance.
-
Take the Next Step – shows the various options people can use
to purchase a plan, such as directly through an insurer or using a
health insurance broker.
There is also a separate downloadable section in the guide that has "7
Top Tips,” which offers a written summary of some of the most important
points made throughout the interactive version.
Commitment to Improving Health Benefits Literacy
In addition to www.healthguidein15.com,
Aetna has also created written materials at an 8th-grade level or lower
for members in the AARP Essential Premier Health Insurance plans.
Aetna and Magic Johnson Enterprises (MJE) also developed the "Magic@50”
campaign, which was designed to help improve health literacy,
particularly in diverse urban and underserved communities. This year,
the campaign included free Community Health EXPO’s in Los Angeles and
Washington, D.C., as well as a presence at AARP’s National Event & EXPO,
Vegas@50+. The 15-Minute Health Insurance Guide was featured at
all of these events and received a very positive response from attendees.
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.
* The AARP Essential Premier Health Insurance products are currently
available in 31 states and Washington, D.C. They are sold in Alabama,
Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware,
Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Louisiana, Maryland,
Michigan, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, North Carolina, Ohio,
Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah,
Virginia, West Virginia, Wyoming and Washington, D.C. For more
information, individuals can call 1-866-844-0888 or go to www.aarphealthcare.com/aetna.
