State of Pennsylvania awards Medicaid managed care contract to Aetna Better Health

The State of Pennsylvania notified Aetna (NYSE: AET) that it has awarded a Medicaid managed care contract to Aetna Better Health,^SM Aetna’s Medicaid business.

“We are excited to partner with the state of Pennsylvania in providing health care solutions for the state’s most vulnerable populations”

Aetna Better Health of Pennsylvania will administer Medicaid benefits for the state of Pennsylvania. Aetna Better Health will begin providing services in Pennsylvania on April 1.

The program will offer health care coverage to Medicaid Medical Assistance (MA) members in the five-county Southeast Zone, including Philadelphia, Delaware, Chester, Montgomery and Bucks counties. The program also is offered in the ten-county Lehigh-Capital Zone, including Northampton, Lehigh, Berks, Lancaster, Lebanon, Dauphin, Perry, Cumberland, York and Adams counties.

“We are excited to partner with the state of Pennsylvania in providing health care solutions for the state’s most vulnerable populations,” said Deborah Nichols, chief executive officer of Aetna Better Health of Pennsylvania.

Tom Kelly, head of Aetna’s Medicaid business unit, added, “We are confident that we can deliver on the promise of managed care – improved health status, better access to care and more emphasis on prevention and education. We are known nationally for our ability to establish a durable partnership with health care providers and community leaders that is focused on quality service for our members.”