Aetna and Jefferson Health System Sign New Multi-Year Contract

KING OF PRUSSIA and RADNOR, Pa., October 24, 2003 -- Aetna and Jefferson Health System Inc., the largest health care system in Southeastern Pennsylvania, have reached agreement on a new contract that extends their relationship through at least Dec. 31, 2007.

Under the agreement, Aetna members will be able to continue receiving covered in-patient and out-patient health care services at Jefferson Health System's member institutions.

Those institutions include: Thomas Jefferson University Hospitals, including the Jefferson Hospital for Neuroscience, Methodist Hospital and Jefferson HealthCare-Voorhees; Albert Einstein Medical Center; Main Line Health, including Bryn Mawr Hospital, Paoli Memorial Hospital and Lankenau Hospital; and Frankford Hospital's Torresdale, Frankford and Bucks County campuses.

In addition, Aetna members can receive covered rehabilitation services at Magee Rehabilitation Hospital, Bryn Mawr Rehabilitation Hospital, MossRehab and Magee-Moss Rehab at Voorhees.

Under the new contract, Aetna members can receive covered transplant services at Jefferson Health System member institutions that meet nationally established quality criteria.

"This agreement is a very positive development for Aetna members," said R.J. Franzoi, head of health care delivery for Aetna's Mid-Atlantic Region. "We've enjoyed a long-standing relationship with Jefferson Health System, and the Jefferson facilities have been important components of our network of contracted hospitals in the Philadelphia area. We look forward to continuing that relationship for years to come."

"Our new contract with Aetna was the product of months of complex, and ultimately successful negotiations to arrive at a mutually beneficial agreement," said David F. Simon, senior vice president of Jefferson Health System. "The agreement will facilitate the ability of our institutions to provide leading-edge quality health care services to Aetna's members."
Based in Radnor, Pa., Jefferson Health System has more than $2 billion in revenue, 20,000 full-time employees, 3,100 staffed beds and 4,000 medical staff members, making it the largest health system in Southeastern Pennsylvania. Among other accolades, Jefferson Health System member hospitals are ranked annually by U.S. News and World Report among America's best hospitals.
Aetna is one of the nation's leading providers of health care, dental, pharmacy, group life, disability and long-term care products, serving more than 13.0 million medical members, 11.3 million dental members and 11.7 million group insurance customers, as of June 30, 2003. The company has expansive nationwide networks of more than 579,000 health care services providers, including nearly 349,000 primary care and specialist physicians and 3,589 hospitals.

Published: 10-24-2003

Aetna Contact:
Walt Cherniak
410-691-1405
CherniakJrW@aetna.com

Jefferson Contact:
David F. Simon
610-225-6298
simond@jhsmail.org