Aetna Prioritized Member Mental Healthcare, Virtual Care in 2021

CVS Health and its payer arm, Aetna, aimed to make strides in the healthcare industry in 2021 by delivering affordable healthcare services to members, increasing access to virtual and mental healthcare, and implementing initiatives to advance health equity, according to the payer’s 2021 Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) report.

The report reflects data from January 1 to December 31, 2021.

As premiums and out-of-pocket healthcare costs continue to rise for Americans, Aetna sought to provide 37,000 members with affordable healthcare across nine markets.

Aetna’s health plan combines its network of doctors, hospitals, and urgent care centers with CVS Health services to provide members with timely access to care. According to the report, Aetna offered premiums up to 20 percent lower than comparable preferred provider organization (PPO) plans. In addition, the payer provided zero-dollar copays for MinuteClinic visits.

Premium and copay amounts may be the deciding factor for individuals when selecting a health plan. More than eight in ten respondents reported that healthcare costs were somewhat or very important when it came to their health, the report found.

The payer also offered eight states individual and family health plans on the Affordable Care Act marketplace. The available plans included healthcare coverage from Aetna and access to CVS pharmacies, MinuteClinics, and HealthHUBs.

In addition, Aetna members were eligible for free one- to two-day prescription deliveries and 20 percent discounts on health-related items.

Members who received healthcare coverage through Aetna and pharmacy coverage through CVS Caremark also saw prescription drug savings. For example, members saved an average of $9.71 out-of-pocket for 30-day drug supplies, and 72 percent of members spent less than $100 out-of-pocket on prescription medications.

The payer also helped increase access to healthcare by introducing new virtual care options, including its virtual-first primary care plan. Virtual plan members could attend an online visit with their provider, who could then direct them to other in-network care settings if necessary. According to the report, the health plan helped make quality primary care more accessible and affordable for members.

Additionally, CVS Health offered virtual MinuteClinic visits, in which patients could attend an e-clinic visit with a local MinuteClinic provider or a video visit with a board-certified provider in their state. In 2021, there were 157,000 MinuteClinic visits and 19 million virtual care visits across CVS Health and Aetna members.

The report noted that ten million of these virtual visits were dedicated to virtual behavioral healthcare sessions.

In addition to virtual care offerings, Aetna implemented an employee assistance program for plan sponsors to help support members’ mental health. Members had access to in-person and virtual mental healthcare resources through the Resource for Living program, including counseling sessions.

The payer offered online peer support sessions to foster social connectedness and provide a safe space for people experiencing similar mental health struggles. There were sessions directed toward specific populations, including young adults, women, caregivers, and members of the LGBTQ+ community.

The Resources for Living program led to a 33 percent increase in counseling sessions and a 36 percent increase in mental well-being requests. Nearly ten out of ten members reported feeling heard and understood.

Aetna also helped drive a 15 percent reduction in adult member suicide attempts by implementing universal screenings for all members in behavioral health and employee assistance care management. Additionally, the payer developed a suicide prevention training program in which more than 2,000 providers participated.

Aetna and CVS Health led several initiatives to advance health equity in 2021.

For example, Mercy Care, a Medicaid-managed care plan administered by Aetna, partnered with a crisis intervention team in Maricopa County, Arizona. The program trains Phoenix and Tempe police officers to deescalate situations involving people experiencing a behavioral health crisis. People of color have higher rates of undiagnosed and untreated mental illness, which increases their chances of interacting with police.

The program aims to give law enforcement the proper training to partner with mental health professionals and redirect these individuals to resources and support outside the criminal justice system.

The payer also partnered with nonprofit organizations to improve culturally competent delivery of mental health services to communities of color.

CVS Health invested in affordable housing initiatives and partnered with local community organizations to promote health equity, as well.