The Hartford, Aetna Partner Up on Workers’ Comp Plan

The Hartford Financial Services Group Inc. and Aetna announced a strategic workers’ compensation relationship to help manage the rising costs of workplace injuries and illnesses. The Hartford has contracted with Aetna to offer The Hartford’s customers the Aetna Workers’ Comp Access (AWCA) network of health care providers.

Effective June 1, 2005, The Hartford will have access to AWCA’s network of health care professionals in Pennsylvania to provide services for The Hartford’s workers’ compensation clients. The network services include physical therapy, occupational medicine, chiropractic, radiology, orthopedics, facilities and home health care. The Hartford expects the new network program will increase its collaboration with the employer, injured workers and care providers, and thereby foster better outcomes.

“The alignment of The Hartford with AWCA pairs the demonstrated strengths and capabilities of two major trusted service organizations,” said Robyn Walsh, president of AWCA. “Through this relationship, The Hartford’s customers will be the beneficiaries of Aetna’s strong physician relationships, network management and commitment to facilitate member and customer access to quality, affordable health care.”

The overall vision is to offer data analysis, reporting and other administrative services that are unique to workers’ comp claims management. This includes the increasing use of new evidence-based standards of care, which can lead to improved health and more efficient use of health care resources than traditional consensus-based treatment guidelines.

The AWCA network, available in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Connecticut, Texas and Virginia, includes 130,000 physicians, hospitals and other health care providers. The Hartford has about 14,000 workers’ compensation customer locations in Pennsylvania, and expects to expand its use of the AWCA network beyond that state in the future.