Aetna's new Medicare offering, the Aetna Golden Choice™ Plan, becomes available this month to 1.3 million beneficiaries - Product News in Brief - Brief Article

Drug Cost Management Report, Jan, 2003

* Aetna's new Medicare offering, the Aetna Golden Choice[TM] Plan, becomes available this month to 1.3 million beneficiaries in 21 Maryland, New Jersey and Pennsylvania counties. The product is a flexible, HMO-based point-of-service plan that includes prescription drug coverage. It is offered under a demonstration project announced Aug.

27 by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) as part of the Medicare Choice program. The plan is more flexible than previously available options, and allows members to receive care inside or outside the Aetna provider network without a primary care physician acting as gatekeeper. Members receive generic drug coverage with no annual dollar limit and a $15 copay per Rx. Elsewhere, Aetna's Golden Medicare Plan is returning prescription drug coverage in Pennsylvania, New York and California. Those members will now get generic drug coverage with no annual limit and a $10 copay per Rx. For more information, see the Medicare Compare database at www.medicare.gov/ mphCompare/home.asp.