Aetna Launches Aetna Transplant Life Management Program; Integrates Pharmacy and Case Management To Promote Improved Care.

Business Editors/Health/Medical Writers

HARTFORD, Conn.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Feb. 24, 2004

Aetna (NYSE:AET) today announced it is launching a new Aetna Transplant Life Management Program(SM), which integrates medical care, pharmacy management, counseling and patient education to promote improved quality of care and patient satisfaction for members undergoing organ or bone marrow transplants.

Aetna's Pharmacy Management (APM) and National Medical Excellence Program(R) (NME) teams will collaborate with Chronimed/StatScript Pharmacy to supply medications and related education services to members receiving transplants. The physician of the member enrolling in the program will be asked to verify orders and delivery dates for pre- and post-transplant medication shipment. Advantages for members include medication counseling services from nurses and pharmacists who specialize in transplant case management and automatic refill reminders to make sure they adhere to the prescribed regimen.

"Careful attention to medication after a transplant and early recognition of warning signs of rejection are important to the success of any transplant," said James Cross, M.D., head of the Medical Policy and National Transplant area for Aetna. "The Aetna Transplant Life Management Program will help members prevent organ rejection by maintaining their drug therapy, identifying side effects of medications, recognizing signs of complications of transplants, and providing a source for detailed information and support."

Eric Elliott, head of APM, said, "This program illustrates how we integrate medical and pharmacy benefit management to improve the overall care available to our members. This area requires significant coordination to provide access to quality care for members. By contracting with Chronimed, we strengthen our ability to provide timely and easy access to medications and counseling for transplant patients."

Henry F. Blissenbach CEO and president of Chronimed, added, "Aetna's commitment to excellence is evident by their collaborative program. Our company is excited about the opportunity to be the provider of transplant services and medication for Aetna members."

In addition to the case management already provided by Aetna's NME area, Chronimed's nurses will provide counseling, including prescription refill reminders, to transplant patients to make sure that they receive timely delivery of and easy access to medications. A pilot program began in February in three nationally recognized Aetna Institutes of Excellence(TM) (IOE), which are credentialed tertiary care hospitals. The Aetna Transplant Life Management Program will be available in all Aetna-approved facilities by June 2004. Aetna's IOE facilities are those facilities among Aetna's national hospital network that meet rigorous external and internal criteria for their capabilities and experience, including a history of successful clinical outcomes.

Aetna is one of the nation's leading providers of health care, dental, pharmacy, group life, disability and long-term care benefits, serving approximately 13.0 million medical members, 10.9 million dental members, 7.4 million pharmacy members and 12.3 million group insurance customers, as of December 31, 2003. The company has expansive nationwide networks of more than 600,000 health care services providers, including over 362,000 primary care and specialist physicians and 3626 hospitals. For more information about Aetna Inc., please visit the company's web site at www.aetna.com.