“Meet David” – Aetna Benefits AdvisorSM Now Available to Individuals and Families Looking for Coverage

HARTFORD, Conn. — “Hi, I’m David, and I’m guessing you’re here because you need a little help finding a health insurance plan that works for you.”

This type of introduction is probably very common when people call an insurance company or meet with a broker to try to find a plan on their own. However, individuals looking for an Aetna (NYSE: AET) plan on their own may be surprised to hear this greeting when they go to a website – www.AetnaHealthNow.com

On this site, consumers will find the Aetna Benefits AdvisorSM, an interactive decision support tool designed for Aetna by The Jellyvision Lab. Using easy-to-understand language, the advisor asks questions about health care needs, lifestyle, financial status and other aspects that would impact the type of plan* a person may need. Individuals can access the advisor any time that is convenient for them, go through the process at their own pace, review any information they need to, look at other plans options, and also have the option of contacting a live representative at any time.

“We know that making health benefits decisions can be confusing at times, and individuals who are buying insurance on their own can’t go into a Human Resources department and get someone to explain their coverage options,” said Frank McCauley, head of Aetna’s Consumer Business Segment. “The Benefits Advisor asks important questions that everyone should consider when purchasing a plan and uses the answers provided by each individual to help guide them through this process.”

For those who have recently lost employer-based coverage, the Aetna Benefits Advisor can identify whether an individual may be eligible for COBRA** coverage and if so, explain how it works generally. “David,” the host, also describes Aetna’s support of legislation that would help guarantee access to health care to all consumers.

Once an individual has gone through the entire process, the Benefits Advisor creates a summary page with the plan that was selected based upon the person’s responses. This page can be bookmarked or the information can be e-mailed directly to the individual.

Positive Response to Benefits Advisor
Last month, Aetna announced an agreement to offer the Aetna Benefits Advisor to employers nationwide. In addition, the tool was also piloted with several customers in the last year – most notably with federal employees. So far, those individuals who have used the Benefits Advisor have expressed a high level of satisfaction.

When surveyed about whether the experience was helpful, on a 5-point scale, 96 percent of employees gave it a 4 or 5, with 77 percent giving it a 5. Thousands of those surveyed said that Aetna Benefits Advisor was informative, personalized, engaging and easy to understand.

“How many people do you know enjoy picking out an insurance policy? Anybody? But millions of Americans need to get insurance on their own and they’re looking online for help,” said Harry Gottlieb, founder & CEO of The Jellyvision Lab. “The Benefits Advisor not only provides super easy-to-understand guidance, walking people through the process of selecting their insurance, but does it in a way that’s actually kind of fun, and totally personalized to their specific needs.”