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December 30, 2024

Trinity Health Of NE, Aetna face New Year’s Eve deadline to renew contract

Andrew Larson | Hartford Business Journal A sign outside Aetna's headquarters at 151 Farmington Ave. in Hartford.
By David Krechevsky

As Americans wait for the ball to drop in New York City to ring in the new year, patients of Trinity Health Of New England (THONE) who are insured by Aetna Inc. await word that the two health organizations have agreed on a new contract.

The current three-year contract, which took effect on Jan.1, 2022, will expire when the ball drops atop One Times Square tower at midnight Tuesday. It is the fourth time in the past year that THONE has gone down to or past the wire on a contract negotiation with a health insurer. The three previous times, the contract expired with no new deal in place:

In a statement emailed Monday to Hartford Business Journal, a THONE spokesperson said the health system is “working diligently to resolve the negotiations” and is “making progress with Aetna to reach a fair agreement that appropriately covers the true cost of the care we provide to our patients who have Aetna commercial and Medicare Advantage health plans.”

The contract with Aetna is for commercial and Medicare Advantage plans in Connecticut and 15 other states where Trinity Health participates. The other affected states include California, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Iowa, Indiana, Illinois, Massachusetts, Maryland, Michigan, New York, Ohio, Oregon and Pennsylvania.

In a post about the contract dispute on its website, THONE claims the insurer “keeps raising premiums and out-of-pocket costs for its members, to boost their profits, which topped $5.6 billion in 2023.”

Aetna Inc. is owned by CVS Health Corp., which is based in Woonsocket, Rhode Island, and has struggled financially this year. CVS Health last week announced additional layoffs at Aetna, following the announcement in October that it would cut “2,900 corporate roles this year.”

“If we cannot reach an agreement before January 1, 2025, Aetna may force Trinity Health Of New England hospitals, facilities, and doctors out-of-network,” the post states.

In Connecticut, should the contract expire, it would affect patients at St. Francis Hospital and Mt. Sinai Rehabilitation Hospital in Hartford, St. Mary’s Hospital in Waterbury and Johnson Memorial Hospital in Stafford Springs, as well as other THONE facilities and providers. It would also affect Mercy Medical Center in Springfield, Massachusetts.

Phillip J. Blando, a spokesman for CVS Health, said via email that his company is “hopeful that we will reach an agreement that keeps (THONE) in our networks, while keeping health care services affordable for our members and health plan sponsors.”

In its emailed statement, THONE added that because it is a not-for-profit organization, “rising supply and labor costs have made it difficult to maintain the high-quality of care patients deserve. Trinity Health Of New England relies on fair payment to provide the care, and services patients depend on and need.”

The statement added that THONE encourages patients to call Aetna or ask their employer to let Aetna know “it is important to protect their access to Trinity Health Of New England and its providers.”

Patients can find information and a list of plans that will include Trinity Health Of New England in 2025 by visiting TrinityHealthOfNE.org/Aetna or calling (860) 331-8070. 

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