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6.7

Overall Score

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LAST UPDATED: March 3rd, 2024

Aetna offers Medicare, Medigap, and Medicaid. It also offers employer-sponsored domestic and international health plans, vision insurance, and dental insurance. Aetna prides itself on providing exceptional customer service.

The insurance provider's positive reviews are a majority of its total reviews. Reviewers appreciate the company's coverage and customer service.

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Customer Review: Jean Warech from Hickory, North Carolina

"Everything I have needed, including spinal surgery, has been authorized by Aetna! After pre- authorization, Aetna has approved for me! I am satisfied with Aetna so far, as of 1 year. Very good customer service. Very friendly staff! I will stay with Aetna!"

View Aetna customer reviews and ratings below.

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The Good

  • Company Ratings
  • Positive Reviews
  • Health Plan Variety
  • Additional Insurance Options
  • Helpful Member Resources
  • Large Provider Network
  • Customer Service

Company Ratings

While Aetna has a slightly lower overall score compared to other health insurers on Best Company, it has a high star-rating for the health insurance industry. 

Star ratings on Best Company are from people who leave reviews on our site. The overall score considers reviews and a few other industry-related criteria.

These good ratings indicate that many Aetna members are satisfied with their Aetna plan and the service they receive. With these ratings and reviews, Aetna has earned a spot in the top ten health insurers listed on Best Company.

Positive Reviews

A majority of Aetna reviews on BestCompany.com are positive. 

Praise in these reviews includes helpful and responsive customer service and satisfaction with provider networks. Positive reviews also mention having the coverage for needed health care.

Positive reviewers had mixed responses to Aetna's cost. Some thought the price was great. Others found it was a little high.

Several variables affect health insurance premium rates, including age. If your plan is through an employer, your employer's contribution to premiums can also affect costs.

Health Plan Variety

Aetna offers a wide variety of plans. Some plans are only available through employers. Others are available for individuals qualifying for Medicare or Medicaid. Here are the main types of health plans it offers:

Employers can also choose Aetna health plans to offer employees.

Additional Insurance Options

Aetna offers one dental plan to individuals and families. Aetna Dental ® Direct plan fully covers preventive treatment. If you're switching to Aetna dental insurance from a similar plan, the waiting period for major services can be waived.

Aetna also offers a dental discount card. At participating dental clinics, you can receive a discount between 15 percent and 50 percent. The cost of this card starts at $7.99. While this card is not insurance, it can help you save on dental care.

Availability of the dental discount card and Aetna Dental® Direct varies by state.

You can also purchase international dental coverage.

Dental insurance is not available in every state. Depending on your state and the plan's benefits, you can receive coverage for preventative care (such as cleanings), restorative work (such as fillings), and even major procedures like getting crowns.

If you purchase Aetna Dental Direct, you can add Aetna Vision Preferred plan to your coverage.

Aetna's vision benefits are accepted at major eyeglasses retailers. Again, depending on your plan, your benefits can include coverage for contacts or glasses and eye exams. Aetna also offers stand-alone vision plans.

Finally, Aetna has a variety of other insurance plans to meet the needs of all consumers, including:

  • Life insurance
  • Disability insurance
  • Government and labor insurance
  • Student insurance
  • International insurance 

Helpful Member Resources

When it comes to tools for members, Aetna rises above its competitors. Customer service is an area where this company shines. Not only are Aetna representatives available around the clock through different mediums, but Aetna members also have access to several different tools to get calculations, answers to questions, and advice about claims.

Anyone can search the company's website and get a tour of a member account before registering. This allows you to see what account access would look like.

To see if the physician you currently see is in Aetna's network or find a new participating provider, there's an intuitive Find a Doctor tool online as well.

It is advantageous for patients to see an in-network provider because rates are usually lower than seeing an out-of-network doctor.

Using the Find a Doctor tool, you initially specify your search by state and type of doctor.

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Customer Review: Roxanna Perez

"I have had this insurance for the past two years. They offer different plans that work accord to my needs. Additionally, their network is easy to navigate and find the right professionals for me."

Once a member, you have easy access to tools like Find a Pharmacy and the iTriage mobile app that Aetna came out with for your on-the-go healthcare needs. 

Aetna also offers a tool to help you find the right plan for your situation, and there are pages on the website that describe the details of each of the plans.

Aetna members benefit from online access to a member portal and account, through which they can pay a premium, view benefits, get an explanation of those benefits, find a doctor, and request an insurance card. You can also order medications, view the status of a claim, ask questions to a virtual nurse 24/7, and get other estimates if needed online. These offerings are common for the health insurance industy.

A rising trend among insurers is offering discounts encouraging healthy habits. Aetna members can receive discounts for gym memberships and weight loss programs.

Aetna also provides tools that help you track your health (for example, by seeing your health history and statistics about your blood pressure). In this sense, Aetna supports its members' health and wellness. It doesn't just pay for your medical bills.

Large Provider Network

Aetna claims to have one of the United States's biggest networks of doctors and hospitals. This makes it more likely that the doctor you visit will be in-network for an Aetna plan - or, at least, it makes it so that you have a wide selection of doctors if you need to switch to Aetna's network of primary care physicians and specialists.

Aetna owns several subsidiaries in the healthcare industry. These include:

  • Coventry Health Care
  • Humana (which they very recently acquired)
  • ActiveHealth Management
  • Aetna Student Health
  • Schaller Anderson
  • Strategic Resource Company
  • Aetna Capital Management
  • Cofinity
  • Medicity

Customer Service

Aetna prides itself on its customer service. It makes its representatives available to customers via phone, email, mail, and even social media.

There are a few different phone numbers you can use to contact someone at Aetna, but if you're a member, there is conveniently a specific member phone line to call.

At any hour of the day, there is also a virtual nurse available for patients to go online and ask questions. This is more convenient than trying to track down a doctor outside of business hours.

The company website for Aetna is very informative and easy to navigate. Its FAQs sections largely focus on the logistics of managing your account.

Aetna makes it very easy to find an answer if it doesn't already appear on the website. Also, you can expect to contact someone from Aetna 24/7 (using certain mediums) and you will be given information to make the best medical decisions for you.

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The Bad

  • Negative Customer Reviews
  • International Individual and Family Health Plans Only
  • State Availability
  • FAQs

Negative Customer Reviews

Although the majority of Aetna's reviews are positive, Best Company has also received a substantial proportion of negative Aetna health insurance reviews. 

Negative Aetna reviews mention issues with coverage and communication with customer service.

Negative reviews are common in the health insurance industry, which can make it harder to evaluate companies.

International Individual and Family Health Plans Only

Unfortunately, Aetna does not offer domestic individual or family health plans, which makes it only an insurance option for employers and people qualifying for a government-sponsored health plan.

However, the company recently announced its intention to begin offering plans on the Health Insurance Marketplace again for the year 2022.

If you're looking for this kind of plan for 2021, you'll need to consider another health insurance company.

State Availability

Aetna's plans are only available in certain states (these include Alaska, Arizona, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Maine, Michigan, Nevada, New Jersey, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Texas, and West Virginia). The dental plans are even more limited, being available only in only a few states.

If you qualify for a plan from Aetna but Aetna is not available in your area, you'll need to find another insurance company.

FAQs

Aetna's website does have plenty of FAQs sections, but they do not answer questions about prices, premiums, deductibles, and factors that affect these amounts (rather they focus on the logistics of account management).

This makes sense because premium costs, deductible amounts, and out-of-pocket expenses vary plan to plan and can be affected by demographic information, like age. Aetna's website allows potential clients to view plans available in their state with detailed information about costs and insurance coverage.

As you consider the cost of an insurance policy, consider the monthly premium and the out-of-pocket limit. Look at how the plan has structured its cost-sharing between you and the health insurer. How much is the copay or coinsurance for health services you'll likely need?

Evaluating the cost and coverage level will help you find a medical insurance plan that works best for your budget.

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The Bottom Line

Aetna is a well-known health insurance provider. It has received a majority of positive reviews on Best Company. This majority of positive reviews is a good sign even though

Aetna has also received a high proportion of 1-star reviews.

Aetna is an especially good fit for Medicare beneficiaries, employers, and individuals qualifying for Medicaid.

Individual plans are not currently available, though the company plans to offer them in the future.

Of course, for anyone who lives outside of the states that Aetna plans are available in or are looking to buy an individual or family plan, this company is not an option.

In terms of location, Aetna is admittedly limited. It would also do well to provide more general information upfront to potential customers about prices and deductibles, which are crucial decision-makers in this industry.

Although the insurer has some limitations, Aetna insurance is worth considering further if you're interested in Medicare coverage, group health plans, or qualify for Medicaid or CHIP.

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Star Rating

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2.2

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340 Reviews

Review Breakdown

5 grade

28%

4 grade

16%

3 grade

8%

2 grade

6%

1 grade

41%

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Lisa Gagnon Slidell, LA

I will give two stars because the majority of the customer services reps I spoke to did try to help. Now here is my official review since being an Aetna hmo dual preferred snp member in February of 2022. So I originally had to change from Humana because I am on a supplement and when I move Humana was not in my area. Aetna after talking to the representative had everything I needed ( so I thought). Well after two months I finally found a primary care physician that I have to drive for 35 miles to when I live in a big metropolitan area. I still do not have a mental health therapist. The only one they could find so far is the mental health clinic from the health department that you go in at 7 and wait to be seen all day. I am not doing that. If I wanted to go to the free clinic I would not have insurance. Not being offensive to the free clinic because I have used them before. I have called every one in the book and got crickets from them as what to do next. I am blessed that my old pychiatrist was in network and I can do tellamed with him so I am still medicated. I have to drive 40 miles to a dentist who was in network and don’t know how that is going to turn out since I have a dental fear. Over all I am highly disappointed with the Aetna plan and may have to find a new plan soon.

2 years ago

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Mrthnmn Norwood, MA

The really poor coverage may be my wife's employer's choice to save themselves a lot of money but the on-line Caremark pharmacy is dreadfully inefficient and incompetent. They frequently require new prescriptions when their own site shows refills available. When they have to communicate with the doctor they do it via FAX. How many hospitals still have FAX machines?! And when you wind up having to call them they have the most-up-to-date system for torturing the customer. Oh. And the web site doesn't work very well. Good luck trying to find your doctor with their search engine, which you're required to do when requesting a prescription renewal.

2 years ago

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Lh Williamstown, NJ

Aetna pop medicare sent me to hearing care solutions to find an in network hearing doctor that would cover exam and hearing aids. They sent me to nation and nation made the appointment guaranteed me they were covered. I went to the appointment and guess what they weren't. I made them call hearing care solutions right while I was sitting there. Hearing care said they have no record of me ever calling!!! Are you kidding me? I have the 4 phone calls to them in my call log. I would have never gone. I cant believe the lies they told me and the hearing place! Another example of company's taking advantage of seniors how dare them!

2 years ago

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John Westerville, OH

Based on today's experience, my opinion of Aetna's pre-certification process is: 1) They value process more than people 2) At least some of their pre-certification rules are written by robots 3) At least some of the pre-certification reviews are conducted by automatons. A surgery was scheduled to remove a device embedded in the body, under tissue and presumable muscle. They would not approve the surgery, based on the information initially provided by the surgeon's office, because : 1) The surgeon did not specify the device was out-of-warranty, when it was actually rendered inoperative by a previous surgery. This presumably caused the device warranty be to voided. 2) The surgeon did not certify the device was not repairable. I'm not sure how you determine whether a device is repairable when it is embedded in a human body, and in any case, presumably it would need to be removed to be repaired, if repairable at all. Makes no sense to me. The additional information requested was provided yesterday, for a surgery scheduled today. The patient was in pre-op awaiting approval, and the response of the pre-certification team was along the lines of: "It would take up to two weeks to make a decision". Unbelievable! The surgeon's office is slow in providing additional information, but Aetna would not do anything to prevent the patient (customer) being inconvenienced. If you are shopping for health insurance based on value, I suspect you can find a provider with somewhat less bureaucracy, and more empathy for the patient. This will be the last year I will use Aetna as our health insurance provider. Aetna has provided fairly decent service in the past, and I gave them many chances to fix this pre-certification issue yesterday and today, but they seem to cling to their bureaucratic procedures, when a simple decision made quickly would have resolved the issue. Another incident like this, which is highly unlikely given the short amount of time until I switch providers, would probably result in a one start rating.

2 years ago

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paul twiraga Brockton, MA

I went in to mansfield health care for a follow-up appointment to go over x- trays and blood work for my knee and foot with a aetna ins.$45 co-pay. While there the doctor suggested cortizone shot in my knee, the total time in exam room was 13 minutes. When I got the bill they charged for a surgicle procedure. I called the billing hospital and was informed the mansfield was no longer authorized to do surgical procedures. I called etna insurance and they charged me an additional co-pay of $290 for a day surgery. Getting a shot is not surgery. I have this shot in the past in never charged for a 1 day hospital stay. Aetna refused to change what I was charged and made me pay $290 over what I should have been for a 13 minute office visit. Beware of aetna and what they will make have pay. They work with providers to make you pay excessive co-pays. They don't really care about you just there bottom line.

2 years ago

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Aleksandar Gutesa Doha, DA

The guys I've been receiving emails from are very nice and responsive, in general if this review great would be based on Customer Care, I'd rate it 10+ stars. But: 1- Just too expensive. Comparing to BUPA, Allianz I had before (working for the same company; they've never got back to me why they've changed providers) like 13-15%. And their lists of benefits were longer than AETNA's. 2- I've been exchanging emails with their Claim dpt. for days now. Apparently, vaccination for kids is not part of my coverage. Not for COVID. For MENINGOCOCCAL MENINGGITIS A,C,Y! &W. Sorry for being sarcastic, but I was shocked: at the early 21st century! Needless to mention that local providers here in Qatar, not branches of come big, word renown provider, have ALL the vaccinations covered. Where I'm coming from (and my country's annual GDP is 30% less than overall AETNA profit) it's also free/covered. I'm looking into a way how to leave AETNA and enroll with some other provider before end of one year coverage. Annually I'll save circa EUR4500.

3 years ago

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Magdalena Pastrana Westchester, IL

Have to rate low. Didn't cover as much as Blue Cross has to pay more for meds and worse of all they covered a medication then month later I get letter that it was covered my mm is take and now I'm being billed 1700$ for these meds that pharmacy won't take back even if unopened they don't take meds back once they leave store.. I have to pay 1700$ because they covered medication that they weren't supposed to cover?? Who messed up me or Aetna? Now Im responsible to their mistake.. Wtf

1 year ago

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Mark Windmar NY

For this year we switched from Univera to the medicare ppo plan. We regret the switch and will probably go somewhere else next season. The Drug coverage of the plan is a joke. We get considerably better prices from GoodRX or the Canadian pharmacy. Their web site is convoluted and you have to spend hours to find answers-if any! For example we could not find any dentist that would take Aetna in all of Western NY. Their phone customer service is good. We also keep getting calls from Aetna contracted people trying to come to your home for questions and surveys.

1 year ago

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Ben Martinsburg, WV

Researched for months before choosing either a supplemental or advantage plan. So far this is the worst plan I have ever had. Everything is OUT OF POCKET. Drugs aren't being paid, office visits not being paid. All my expenses are going to out of pocket, deductibles, etc. I would be better of paying a monthly premium and going with a supplemental plan. STAY AWAY FROM AETNA!

2 years ago

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Hanuman G Overland Park, KS

Claims processing is not good, so many errors while processing claims for pregnancy delivery. Need to call so many times. Poor customer care some are dumb some are smart to handle the calls. My experience is not good with them it wasted of time for me. Not sure how this company working without good claims processing, I pity future customers.

1 year ago

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David

They have some really stupid rules not in the contract. For example, in my policy I get 1 free exam per year. They denied my claim last December because it was 8 days before 365 day had passed since my last one! It does not say 1 exam per 365 days. But they don't put that on the denial of the claim.

3 years ago

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Claudia de la Guerra New York, NY

While the plan and coverage were ok - customer service is just the worst I’ve experienced! All automated and when someone finally answers they have no idea of what’s going on.

2 years ago

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Steve Colella Coraopolis, PA

Policies are very hard to understand. Customer service is very hard to get in touch with and I never end a call pleased with my results. It never seems like items are covered.

2 years ago

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CAHomeOwner Clovis, CA

We have to send in additional forms sometimes for certain prescriptions to be filled because a doctor's prescription is not good enough. Not happy with the back and forth of such prescriptions.

3 years ago

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Ed Anselm

By far the worst I have ever had nothing seems to work without problems and numerous phone calls can’t wait until enrollment time comes!

2 years ago

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Charles Collins Lexington, SC

This is the second time they have refused to approve a prescriptions for me. Something that might help my pain and the6 are denying the medication

2 years ago

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Shannon Mesa, AZ

Have been happy but now their new Rx policy is costing us a fortune! So sad they continue to give less service for the amount of the premium.

4 years ago

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Rocio Diaz Tallahassee, FL

Coverage is very limited. Claims often have to be paid out of pocket. Customer service leaves much to be desired.

2 years ago

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Sherri mcnamara

Premiums go drastically higher every year.

5 years ago

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Jessica Mendez Clarksburg, MD

They were expensive, covered nothing and had high deductibles and copays.

2 years ago