Aetna Expands Access to High-Performance Network; Aexcel(R) Available in Six New Markets Effective 2007.HARTFORD, Conn. -- Aetna (NYSE NYSE See: New York Stock Exchange : AET AET Aetna, Inc. AET After Extra Time AET Actual Evapotranspiration AET Alliance for Environmental Technology AET Alpha-Ethyltryptamine AET Applied Extrusion Technologies, Inc. ) announced today the geographical expansion of its performance network featuring Aexcel-designated specialist physicians. Aetna applies Aexcel designation to certain specialists who, in addition to being part of Aetna's network, meet certain thresholds for clinical performance and cost efficiency. Effective January 2007, Aetna's Performance Network featuring Aexcel-designated specialists will be available in a total of 26 markets with the addition of Indianapolis, Ind.; Tulsa and Oklahoma City Oklahoma City (1990 pop. 444,719), state capital, and seat of Oklahoma co., central Okla., on the North Canadian River; inc. 1890. The state's largest city, it is an important livestock market, a wholesale, distribution, industrial, and financial center, and a farm , Okla.; San Diego San Diego (săn dēā`gō), city (1990 pop. 1,110,549), seat of San Diego co., S Calif., on San Diego Bay; inc. 1850. San Diego includes the unincorporated communities of La Jolla and Spring Valley. Coronado is across the bay. , Calif.; Richmond, Va.; and Cincinnati, Ohio. "As health care costs continue to rise, employers and consumers are more focused on receiving information that will help them make value-based health care purchasing decisions," said Donald Storey, M.D., Aetna's senior medical director for Aexcel. "We're pleased to be able to expand Aexcel's availability to more constituents." Aetna worked closely with a number of large employers to develop Aexcel, and interest continues to build. The company currently has 35 Aexcel customers and 483,000 members. Consumers often have little access to independent, objective information when they choose specialists. Aexcel uses a rigorous evaluation process to identify specialists who have shown they deliver cost-effective care. "Costco is focused on helping our employees become better health care consumers. Aexcel helps us achieve that goal by providing our employees with information to help them choose health care providers based on clinical quality and cost efficiency," said Jay Tihinen, assistant vice president, Benefits and Retirement Plans, Costco Wholesale. Aexcel-designated specialists are the centerpiece of Aetna's Performance Network, a network option that also includes Aetna participating primary care providers, hospitals and physicians in non-Aexcel specialties. Doctors within 12 specialties were evaluated using measures of clinical performance and efficiency in their use of health care resources. The specialties included in Aexcel are cardiology, cardiothoracic surgery, gastroenterology gastroenterology Medical specialty dealing with digestion and the digestive system. In the 17th century Jan Baptista van Helmont conducted the first scientific studies in the field; William Beaumont published his own observations in 1833. , general surgery, obstetrics/gynecology, orthopedics, otolaryngology, neurology, neurosurgery neurosurgery /neu·ro·sur·gery/ (noor´o-sur?jer-e) surgery of the nervous system. neu·ro·sur·ger·y n. Surgery on any part of the nervous system. , plastic surgery, vascular surgery and urology urology Medical specialty dealing with the urinary system and male reproductive organs. It traces its origin to medieval lithologists, itinerant healers who specialized in surgical removal of bladder stones. . Aexcel currently is available in Arizona; Atlanta; Austin, San Antonio, Dallas/Ft. Worth and Houston, Texas; Chicago; Cleveland and Columbus, Ohio; Connecticut; Maine; Metropolitan DC (Maryland, the District of Columbia District of Columbia, federal district (2000 pop. 572,059, a 5.7% decrease in population since the 1990 census), 69 sq mi (179 sq km), on the east bank of the Potomac River, coextensive with the city of Washington, D.C. (the capital of the United States). and Northern Virginia); Metropolitan New York/Northern New Jersey; North Florida; Los Angeles and Northern/Central Valley, Calif.; Seattle/Western Washington state; and Tampa, Orlando and South Florida (Dade and Broward Counties). Aetna is one of the nation's leading diversified health care benefits companies, serving approximately 29.9 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, long-term care long-term care (LTC), n the provision of medical, social, and personal care services on a recurring or continuing basis to persons with chronic physical or mental disorders. and disability plans, and medical management capabilities. Our customers include employer groups, individuals, college students, part-time and hourly workers, health plans and government-sponsored plans. www.aetna.com |
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