Arizona awards health care contract to Aetna

Aetna (NYSE:AET) announced today that it was awarded a contract to provide health care benefits to Arizona’s state employees. The contract becomes effective on October 1, 2009.

“We are committed to providing high quality benefits to the approximately 140,000 eligible members for the State of Arizona,” said Joanne Mizell, Aetna’s Arizona market head for National Accounts in Arizona. “We look forward to the opportunity to provide excellent health care benefits, superior service and a broad range of tools that can maintain and improve the health and well being of the State's employees and their families.”

Aetna is offering state employees three benefit options: an Exclusive Provider Organization (EPO); a Preferred Provider Organization (PPO); and a Health Savings Account (HSA).

New Aetna members will have access to 12,500 primary and specialty physicians and 70 hospitals throughout the state.

Aetna will be one of four carriers offering medical benefits to the state’s employees.

www.aetna.com