Aetna will begin providing virtual primary care to some policyholders, parent company CVS Health announced Tuesday.
The new service, Aetna Virtual Primary Care, is available under self-funded employer plans and provides eligible members with remote and in-person healthcare.
“Aetna Virtual Primary Care gives our members the power of choice and convenience, making it easier for people to get and stay healthy, even when balancing the demands of work and life,” Aetna President Dan Finke said in a news release.
Policyholders will have virtual access a panel of board-certified physicians, a care-coordination team, a virtual nurse care team, existing Aetna virtual care offerings like mental health counseling, dermatology services and 24-hour urgent care. Members also can receive select in-person services at CVS MinuteClinics and HealtHUB locations. Virtual and in-person primary care visits will not require a copayment.
Aetna Virtual Primary Care incorporates Teladoc Health with Aetna’s provider network and CVS Health’s services.
CVS Health, based in Woonsocket, Rhode Island, saw a drop in income from its Aetna health insurance business during the second quarter of 2021. CVS Health’s net income fell 6% in the second quarter to $2.78 billion, compared to the same period last year.
As the COVID-19 pandemic closed doctors offices, telehealth stepped in to boost access to healthcare. Insurance claims for telehealth services rose 3,552% between August 2019 and August 2020, according to FAIR Health’s Telehealth Regional Tracker.