HARTFORD, Conn. – Aetna today announced an enhanced accountable care product, Aetna Whole Health℠ Value Care Alliance and Trinity Health Of New England. The new product will provide employers with a value-based health care option designed to increase quality and improve the patient experience while driving efficiency and controlling costs.
Employers who choose Aetna Whole Health℠ for their health plan will now be able to leverage Trinity Health Of New England's more than 900 physicians in more than 200 practices and four hospitals, including Saint Francis Hospital and Medical Center in Hartford, Saint Mary’s Hospital in Waterbury, Johnson Memorial Hospital in Stafford Springs and Mount Sinai Rehabilitation Hospital in Hartford.
Since 2016, Aetna has offered an accountable care product that includes the Value Care Alliance and its six hospitals, including Danbury Hospital, Norwalk Hospital, New Milford Hospital, Griffin Hospital in Derby, St. Vincent's Medical Center in Bridgeport and Middlesex Hospital in Middletown, as well as nearly 1,800 affiliated physicians in Fairfield, Litchfield, Middlesex, New Haven and New London counties. The expanded plan also now provides access to ProHealth Physicians and its more than 350 physicians in 90 locations across the state.
Together, they will form a robust network that offers patients access to every level of health care service, from prevention and primary care to the most sophisticated medical and surgical specialties. The geographical reach of the new Aetna Whole Health℠ plan is statewide.
"This new plan is great news for our current and future members in Connecticut," said Mark Santos, president of Aetna's New England operations. "Aetna is committed to helping our members achieve their personal health ambitions, and we're thrilled to align our resources with Trinity Health Of New England, the Value Care Alliance and ProHealth Physicians so we can connect members to coordinated, accessible, affordable and personalized health care in their community."
"Consumers are faced with a myriad of challenges when seeking health care coverage and services today," said Jess Kupec, President of Southern New England Healthcare Organization, the regional contracting entity for Trinity Health Of New England. "We are excited to collaborate with Aetna, Value Care Alliance and ProHealth Physicians to help consumers find long-term solutions to those challenges. Because we share a common vision and commitment to improve healthcare in our region, we are confident that working together we will make a difference in the lives of Aetna's customers."
"The VCA's collaboration with Aetna and Trinity Health Of New England is consistent with our shared goals of improving both the quality and lowering the cost of care provided, while enhancing the patient experience," said Patrick Charmel, Chairman of the VCA and President and CEO of Griffin Hospital. "VCA hospitals and their affiliated physicians strive to inform and engage consumers — those who receive and pay for care — so they become active partners in the effort to improve their health and well-being leading to more effective and efficient care. Accountable Care products like Aetna Whole Health are transforming Connecticut's health care delivery system into a more consumer-focused and value-based model."
Aetna Whole Health℠ plans are designed to give employers better health care options for their employees with a patient-centric model of health care focused on keeping people healthy, rather than just treating them when they become sick.
The plans feature a new model of health care delivery designed to offer:
- enhanced coordination of care between doctors and other care providers;
- improved patient experience through best-in-class care management programs;
- use of advanced technology that delivers actionable data and quality information to providers;
- lower overall out-of-pocket costs for members who see providers that are part of the Aetna Whole Health℠ network; and
- better health care outcomes for patients.
Aetna is working with health care organizations nationwide to develop products and services that support value-driven, patient-centered care for health care consumers. Nationally today, more than 7 million Aetna members receive care from doctors committed to the value-based approach, with approximately 53 percent of Aetna claims payments going to doctors and providers who practice value-based care.
About Aetna
Aetna is one of the nation's leading diversified health care benefits companies, serving an estimated 44.6 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.
About Trinity Health Of New England
Trinity Health Of New England is an integrated nonprofit health care delivery system formed in 2015 and is a member of Trinity Health located in Livonia, Michigan, one of the largest multi-institutional Catholic health care delivery systems in the nation serving communities in 22 states. Trinity Health Of New England is comprised of Saint Francis Hospital and Medical Center, and Mount Sinai Rehabilitation Hospital, Saint Francis Healthcare Partners and Southern New England Healthcare Organization in Hartford, Connecticut; Johnson Memorial Hospital and Home & Community Health Services in Stafford Springs, Connecticut; Saint Mary's Hospital in Waterbury, Connecticut; Mercy Medical Center in Springfield, Massachusetts; Providence Behavioral Health Hospital in Holyoke, Massachusetts; Weldon Rehabilitation Hospital, Springfield, Massachusetts; Brightside for Families and Children; and Mercy Continuing Care Network that includes Mercy Homecare, Mercy Hospice and Mercy LIFE. Visit TrinityHealthOfNE.org for more information and follow us on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter @THOfNewEngland
About Value Care Alliance
The VCA network covers a broad geography across the state, offering access through its hospital members and their affiliated physician offices and urgent care centers. The VCA has established an advanced care delivery network that has been actively engaged in value-based payment models since 2013. VCA member hospitals and physicians were one of the first Accountable Care Organization cohorts in the Medicare Shared Savings Program. VCA has over 130,000 lives under contract through its participation in value-based arrangements with Medicare, Medicare Advantage, Medicaid, and commercial insurers. VCA's proven track record improving the health of its members and driving efficiencies in care delivery through its substantial care delivery infrastructure have distinguished it among other provider groups and prompted the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation (CMMI) to select VCA as one of only 20 Alignment Track grant recipients for its Accountable Health Communities Model. Under this Model, VCA member hospitals and affiliated physicians will help CMMI test and bridge the gap between clinical and community service providers.
Contacts:
Aetna Media Contact:
Sheridan Watson
212-457-0633
WatsonS1@aetna.com
Trinity Health of New England Media Contact:
Gina Munson
860-714-5776
GMunson@stfranciscare.org
Value Care Alliance Media Contact:
Ken Roberts
203-732-7432
kroberts@griffinhealth.org