U.S. health insurer
Aetna Inc.
(
AET
) has entered into a partnership with Inova Health System to serve
the population of Northern Virginia.
Both companies together will develop and launch Innovation
Health Plans, which will combine Aetna's health benefits
administration and care management services and Inova's health care
delivery services.
The joint venture is expected to be operative from January 1,
2013 and will enhance clinical integration of the health care
community. While Inova Health System will be in charge of improving
patient wellness through better care coordination and easy access
to patient's medical records, Aetna will provide technological
support to Inova to carry out its task.
Innovation Health plans will offer new commercial and Medicare
Advantage HMO and PPO products to the residents of Northern
Virginia. The customers will benefit as a result of affordable
products and well integrated health care resulting from partnership
and involvement of community physicians.
Last month, Aetna announced an extension to the deal signed
between Aetna and Banner Health Network for Accountable Care
Collaboration in November last year. Following the extension of the
contract, the companies will now offer health management and other
patient oriented services to over 200,000 patients.
Aetna will promote improved care quality, coordination and
convenience for the doctors and their patients covered by Banner
Health on implementing its "technology stack" and various other
care management services.
Aetna offers a wide array of programs and services that help
control rising employee benefit costs while striving to improve the
quality of health care, such as case management, disease management
and patient safety programs; integrated medical, dental,
pharmaceutical, behavioral health and disability information.
Aetna's health care network boasts of more than 1 million health
care professionals, over 580,000 primary care doctors and
specialists and approximately 5400 hospitals.
Last week, peer
Humana Inc.
(
HUM
) announced its partnership with
Novo Nordisk Inc.
(NVO) to conduct research and explore quality treatment options for
diabetes. The partnership is part of Humana's concerted efforts to
provide better health care services to diabetic patients.
Aetna currently retains a Zacks # 3 Rank, which translates into
a short-term 'Hold' rating. Considering its better-than-average
fundamentals, we are maintaining our long-term "Outperform"
recommendation on the shares.
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