U.S. health insurer
Aetna Inc.
(
AET
) has announced that AtlantiCare Regional Medical Center ("ARMC")
has rejoined Aetna's southern New Jersey network.
ARMC is a general medical and surgical hospital in Atlantic City,
New Jersey.
Aetna's members, with this agreement, will have more choice and
improved access to hospitals and doctors in this service area.
About 200 ARMC doctors also joined Aetna's network. Based in
Atlantic County, New Jersey, the health system includes two
hospitals: the Atlantic City Campus in Atlantic City and the
Mainland Campus in Pomona. ARMC has Atlantic City's only cancer
institute, heart institute and neonatal intensive care unit.
Aetna, with this agreement, is planning to expand its network of
primary care physicians and specialists.
This agreement will provide a greater reach to Aetna in the
southern New Jersey region. The company already boasts a wide
network comprising 22 hospitals with more than 5,700 primary care
and specialist physicians.
Aetna is aiming to bring more hospitals within its domain. Last
week the company announced a new contract with Barnabas Health,
New Jersey's largest not-for-profit integrated healthcare
delivery system. As per the contract, Aetna members who receive
care at any of the Barnabas Health hospitals and facilities will
continue to be covered at the in-network level of benefits.
Aetna expects to release its fourth-quarter earnings on Jan 31,
2013, before the opening bell. According to the Zacks Consensus
Estimate, earnings are expected to be 96 cents per share, a penny
below of the year-ago quarter earnings of 97 cents.
The stock retains a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). We are also maintaining
our long-term Neutral recommendation on its shares. The company's
peers,
CIGNA Corp.
(
CI
) and
UnitedHealth Group Inc.
(
UNH
) also carry a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). We have a long-term Neutral
recommendation on both the stocks.
AETNA INC-NEW (AET): Free Stock Analysis
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CIGNA CORP (CI): Free Stock Analysis Report
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