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Crisis response & everyday support: Advice for employers in the Americas
We recognise that the impact of COVID-19 on you, your organisation and your employees continues to change daily. You are working hard to ensure your employees are protected from infection, looking for ways to help them adapt to change, to maintain their health and well-being and to access health care when they need it. And we’re here to support you.
The human touch at the heart of our crisis response
This pandemic is one of the century’s most urgent challenges to humanity. Our care management teams, and our clinical and emergency response team (CARE team), comprise experts who are calm under pressure, highly responsive, professional and compassionate.
Important contact details: care management & CARE team
To contact the care management team:
- For U.S. enquiries, email: Aetnainternationalbluebell@AETNA.com
- For overseas enquiries, email: AetnaInternationalCaseManagement@aetna.com
- Members can contact the care management team via the number on their member ID card.
For emergency medical evacuation queries, contact the CARE team 24/7.
- Call the member services team (MST): available 24/7 year-round via toll-free phone, fax or email, our professional member service representatives are trained to assist you with most of your needs ― often in a single call. The MST will transfer you to our CARE team.
- Go to our International Contact Information page to contact the office serving your location.
Toll-free dialing instructions:
- To dial the Aetna International Member Service Centre toll-free:
- Visit AT&T on the web at https://www.business.att.com/collateral/access.html to locate the AT&T Direct Access Number for the country from which you are dialing. Please dial 855-491-9150 and follow prompts. After the tone, you will hear an automated message stating, "thank you for using AT&T," and your call will be directed to the Aetna International Member Service Centre.
Clinical support
We are closely monitoring global activity and regulations regarding the coronavirus.
The care management team is working hard to support you and your employees; providing a single point of contact and one-to-one assistance to help everyone involved make informed decisions that help result in the best possible health care outcomes. Through existing care management programs, we’re proactively reaching out to members most at risk for COVID-19. Care manager walk members through what they can do to protect themselves, where to get information on the virus, and where to get tested.
Our care management and CARE teams can also help you and your employees with the following:
Hospital admissions: Enabling expedited access to treatment for members in the Americas
For Aetna International members in the Americas — particularly in US states like New York and Washington, which have the strongest prevalence of COVID-19 cases — hospitals do not need advance approval from Aetna International for members requiring hospitalization for COVID-19. This change allows for expedited access to the necessary treatment.
Aetna International is working closely with partner hospitals in the region to help transfer and discharge members with issues unrelated to COVID-19 from hospitals to safe and clinically appropriate care settings where they can continue to have their needs addressed. This will help hospitals and emergency rooms make room for more patients, especially those suffering from COVID-19.
We would also like to take this opportunity to reassure our customers that existing health benefits are not affected by the COVID-19 outbreak. Any medical advice and subsequent treatment will be covered by Aetna International, as it would any other eligible medical condition, in accordance with a member’s plan.
Discharge planning
We monitor members throughout their admission to hospital (for inpatient treatment) to help ensure a timely and appropriate discharge plan is in place.
Condition management
We can proactively outreach to and work with members to help them manage a condition or to put preventative measures in place to help prevent conditions or diseases developing in the future.
Emergency medical evacuation
We make sure members get the treatment they need quickly if a medical emergency arises. We work with the treating physician and your family to authorize the best possible treatment or arrange to evacuate the member to an appropriate destination if needed and where possible, either by Air Ambulance, Ground Ambulance or Commercial Airline. We are working hard to assess each COVID-19 case to find the fastest, safest way to help ensure the best health outcome.
Due to the rapidly escalating global situation, undertaking medical evacuations across borders has become extremely challenging. Many countries have locked down their borders or have increased restrictions for entry. All evacuation cases will require additional consideration to understand how the current restrictions may affect the available options and evacuation strategy.
Get access to medication & pharmacy shipping
Whether managing a chronic disease, such as diabetes, or a condition such as anxiety, ensuring that employees have access to their medication plan is crucial to their overall health and well-being. We can help guide members to help them get the medication they need and, in some geographies, members can order prescriptions online and have them shipped directly to their door, almost anywhere in the world.
Letter of Authorization (LOA)
Also known as Guarantee of Payment (GoP) or preauthorization. For certain types of treatment, we help members ensure that they are eligible for treatment, and ensure that the proposed treatment is necessary and appropriate. We can support members on their treatment journey including liaising with the treating medical facility or hospital, with the aim of ensuring the best member experience as well as arranging direct settlement to minimize out-of-pocket expenses (an amount paid upfront and then claimed back) for members.
Direct settlement
Aetna International works with a global network of health care providers. If a member is living or working overseas and needs treatment, they can go to any provider in that network and — depending on the type of cover they have — we can pay the provider directly. Direct settlement can be available worldwide, at clinics, hospitals and surgeries, whether your client is receiving treatment as an outpatient, or admitted to hospital as an inpatient.
Find
We make it easy for your employees to find a provider in our direct settlement network by:
— Logging in to Health Hub — the secure member website — and following the instructions provided in this guide
OR
— Calling our Member Service Center at the number listed on their Member ID Card
Schedule
Make an appointment by calling the provider directly
Notify
Inside the United States
1. Notify the health care provider and give them the Member ID number
2. Go to your appointment and provide a copy of the Member ID card when you arrive
Outside the United States
1. Notify us to request a LOA by calling the number on the Member ID Card
2. Go to your appointment and provide a copy of your LOA
Repatriation and pre-trip planning
We can help members meet their health needs and advise on the availability of health care services before they embark on their travels.
Maternity management
For eligible members with a maternity plan in place, we support expectant mothers throughout their pregnancy, from preauthorisation of costs through to delivery and after care.
How to get in touch with us
Containing the spread of this epidemic is a top priority that we all share, and we are working hard to provide solutions to help keep our members protected. If you have questions or concerns about your coverage or entitlements, please contact your account manager.
Resources for Americas members
We’ve taken a series of steps designed to support the health and well-being of all our Aetna members based in the Americas region. To find out more, read ‘Resources for Americas members’ on this page.
COVID-19: Frequently asked questions & business continuity plans
As well as providing you with answers to frequently asked questions about member cover for coronavirus testing, what Aetna International is doing and the resources available to support members during this time, we are also working hard to give you regular updates on our business continuity plans and to answer your frequently asked questions from a business perspective.
Remote working & physical distancing support
In addition, we have created a member resource -- Remote working & physical distancing support resource hub -- designed to provide additional day-to-day health and well-being support and guidance, and much more.
