Aetna announced today that the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has lifted its marketing and enrollment sanctions against Aetna Medicare.
“We are pleased by this news,” said Aetna Chairman, CEO and President Mark T. Bertolini. “We have worked very hard to implement improvements to a number of areas that will further support beneficiary access to care, patient safety and compliance with CMS guidelines. Most important, our actions will enhance our ability to support the nearly 1 million Medicare beneficiaries we are privileged to serve today.”
While Aetna has corrected deficiencies that allowed CMS to lift the sanctions, Aetna's Medicare Prescription Drug Plans will not receive any new low income subsidy assignees from CMS at this time. However, low income subsidy members can make their own choice to enroll in Aetna products during the upcoming Annual Enrollment Period.
Aetna will immediately resume marketing of its Medicare Advantage and Prescription Drug Plan products and may begin enrolling beneficiaries with effective dates beginning July 1, 2011.
Aetna views the Medicare business as a key strategic growth area. The company is committed to a positive and valued experience for our current and future Medicare Advantage and Medicare Prescription Drug Plan members through products, high-quality customer service and industry-leading care management programs.