{ "data_version": "1", "schema": "https://whatledto.com/data", "id": "aetna", "name": "Aetna", "kind": "company", "url": "https://whatledto.com/who/aetna", "description": "", "same_as": [], "timelines": [ { "slug": "medicare-advantage-2027", "title": "Medicare Advantage's Retreat: From the 2026 Rate Hike to the 2027 Plan Exits and Open Enrollment", "url": "https://whatledto.com/events/medicare-advantage-2027", "json": "https://whatledto.com/events/medicare-advantage-2027.json", "role": "CVS's insurer subsidiary, reducing MA offerings and ending commissions on certain MA plans.", "entries": 6, "updated_at": "2026-10-14T02:01:40.262749+00:00" } ], "entries": [ { "timeline": "medicare-advantage-2027", "id": 2136, "url": "https://whatledto.com/events/medicare-advantage-2027#n2136", "date": "2026-10-08", "date_precision": "day", "title": "Aetna says over 69 percent of MA members are in four-star plans", "summary": "Aetna said more than 69% of its Medicare Advantage members were in 2027 plans rated four stars or higher. The ratings were assigned by CMS.", "type": "announcement", "entities": [ "Aetna", "CMS", "Medicare Advantage" ], "parties": [ "aetna", "cms", "medicare-advantage" ], "sources": [ { "url": "https://investors.cvshealth.com/news/news-details/2026/Aetna-2027-Star-Ratings-Reflect-Strong-Clinical-Quality-and-Member-Experience/default.aspx", "outlet": "CVS Health/Aetna", "published": "2026-10-08", "quote": "announced today that more than 69 percent of its Medicare Advantage (MA) members are in 2027 plans rated 4 stars or higher (out of 5 stars) by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS)." } ] }, { "timeline": "medicare-advantage-2027", "id": 1366, "url": "https://whatledto.com/events/medicare-advantage-2027#n1366", "date": "2026-09-15", "date_precision": "day", "title": "Aetna stops commissions on certain Medicare Advantage plans", "summary": "Aetna stopped paying broker commissions on certain Medicare Advantage plans on September 15. Becker’s reported that Aetna confirmed the change.", "type": "other", "entities": [ "Aetna", "Medicare Advantage" ], "parties": [ "aetna", "medicare-advantage" ], "sources": [ { "url": "https://www.beckerspayer.com/payer/medicare-advantage/aetna-to-cut-medicare-advantage-broker-commissions-again/", "outlet": "Becker’s Payer Issues", "published": "2026-08-21", "quote": "Aetna will stop paying broker commissions on certain Medicare Advantage plans beginning Sept. 15, the company confirmed to Becker’s." } ] }, { "timeline": "medicare-advantage-2027", "id": 636, "url": "https://whatledto.com/events/medicare-advantage-2027#n636", "date": "2026-09-05", "date_precision": "day", "title": "Plan non-renewal letters are due by October 2; open enrollment runs October 15 to December 7", "summary": "With insurers having told investors which 2027 plans will end on December 31, members learn by letter in early October, leaving a window before open enrollment closes on December 7. Those whose plan is terminated get a guaranteed-issue right to buy Medigap if they return to Original Medicare, a protection lost if they simply pick another MA plan.", "type": "report", "entities": [ "Humana", "UnitedHealthcare", "Aetna", "Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services" ], "parties": [ "humana", "unitedhealthcare", "aetna", "centers-for-medicare-medicaid-services" ], "sources": [ { "url": "https://247wallst.com/personal-finance/2026/09/05/insurers-have-already-told-wall-street-which-advantage-plans-die-on-december-31-members-are-the-last-to-know-and-the-letter-isnt-due-until-october-2/", "outlet": "24/7 Wall St.", "published": "2026-09-05", "quote": "Insurers spent the summer telling Wall Street exactly which Medicare Advantage plans are disappearing on December 31. Enrolled members get a letter in October, a closing enrollment window in December, and a rare legal protection most will never realize they… This post may contain links from our sponsors and affiliates, and Flywheel Publishing may receive compensation for actions taken through them." } ] }, { "timeline": "medicare-advantage-2027", "id": 628, "url": "https://whatledto.com/events/medicare-advantage-2027#n628", "date": "2026-02-24", "date_precision": "day", "title": "Enrollment data: MA grows only 3 percent to 35.5 million; UnitedHealthcare down 9 percent since October", "summary": "A Healthcare Dive analysis of CMS enrollment files showed 35.5 million people in Medicare Advantage in February 2026 versus 34.4 million a year earlier, growth of about 3 percent against a historical pace of up to 10 percent. UnitedHealthcare fell to just under 9.4 million from 10.3 million before open enrollment; Elevance, Centene and CVS lost 14, 4 and 3 percent of members; Humana was the big gainer.", "type": "report", "entities": [ "UnitedHealthcare", "Humana", "Elevance Health", "Centene", "Aetna", "Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services" ], "parties": [ "unitedhealthcare", "humana", "elevance-health", "centene", "aetna", "centers-for-medicare-medicaid-services" ], "sources": [ { "url": "https://www.healthcaredive.com/news/medicare-advantage-enrollment-2026-unitedhealth-humana-cms/812856/", "outlet": "Healthcare Dive", "published": "2026-02-24", "quote": "Almost 35.5 million people were enrolled in the privatized Medicare programs as of February, compared with about 34.4 million people in the same month last year, according to new government data." } ] }, { "timeline": "medicare-advantage-2027", "id": 622, "url": "https://whatledto.com/events/medicare-advantage-2027#n622", "date": "2025-10-02", "date_precision": "day", "title": "UnitedHealthcare confirms full exits from 16 markets, 109 fewer counties, for 2026", "summary": "As the 2026 plan files went public, UnitedHealthcare confirmed it would leave Medicare Advantage entirely in 16 markets, affecting about 180,000 members, and offer plans in one fewer state and 109 fewer counties. Humana cut 194 counties and three states, and Aetna about 90 plans across 100 counties; Elevance added counties but left the standalone Part D market.", "type": "announcement", "entities": [ "UnitedHealthcare", "Humana", "Aetna", "Elevance Health" ], "parties": [ "unitedhealthcare", "humana", "aetna", "elevance-health" ], "sources": [ { "url": "https://www.insurancebusinessmag.com/us/news/life-insurance/unitedhealth-to-exit-medicare-advantage-plans-in-16-markets-551768.aspx", "outlet": "Insurance Business", "published": "2025-10-02", "quote": "UnitedHealthcare will fully exit Medicare Advantage plans in 16 US markets for the 2026 plan year the company confirmed. The move, which will affect about 180,000 policyholders, has been described as part of a broader Medicare Advantage pullback previously announced, which is expected to impact 600,000 policyholders nationwide." } ] }, { "timeline": "medicare-advantage-2027", "id": 616, "url": "https://whatledto.com/events/medicare-advantage-2027#n616", "date": "2025-06-23", "date_precision": "day", "title": "Insurers pledge to Kennedy and Oz to cut prior authorization by 2026 and standardize it by 2027", "summary": "At an HHS roundtable, Aetna, Humana, UnitedHealthcare, Elevance, Centene, Cigna, Kaiser Permanente, the Blues and AHIP committed to six voluntary reforms across Medicare Advantage, Medicaid managed care and commercial plans: fewer services subject to prior authorization in 2026, real-time electronic approvals and honouring other insurers' decisions by 2027. A year later, KFF Health News found insurers hedging on the promises.", "type": "announcement", "entities": [ "Department of Health and Human Services", "Robert F. Kennedy Jr.", "Mehmet Oz", "AHIP", "UnitedHealthcare", "Humana", "Aetna" ], "parties": [ "department-of-health-and-human-services", "robert-f-kennedy-jr", "mehmet-oz", "ahip", "unitedhealthcare", "humana", "aetna" ], "sources": [ { "url": "https://www.cms.gov/newsroom/press-releases/hhs-secretary-kennedy-cms-administrator-oz-secure-industry-pledge-fix-broken-prior-authorization", "outlet": "Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services", "published": "2025-06-23", "quote": "In a roundtable discussion hosted by HHS, health insurers pledged six key reforms aimed at cutting red tape, accelerating care decisions, and enhancing transparency for patients and providers." } ] } ], "often_with": [ { "id": "wells-fargo", "name": "Wells Fargo", "url": "https://whatledto.com/who/wells-fargo", "json": "https://whatledto.com/who/wells-fargo.json", "shared_timelines": 1 }, { "id": "us-government-accountability-office", "name": "U.S. Government Accountability Office", "url": "https://whatledto.com/who/us-government-accountability-office", "json": "https://whatledto.com/who/us-government-accountability-office.json", "shared_timelines": 1 }, { "id": "us-congress", "name": "U.S. Congress", "url": "https://whatledto.com/who/us-congress", "json": "https://whatledto.com/who/us-congress.json", "shared_timelines": 1 }, { "id": "us-department-of-justice", "name": "U.S. Department of Justice", "url": "https://whatledto.com/who/us-department-of-justice", "json": "https://whatledto.com/who/us-department-of-justice.json", "shared_timelines": 1 }, { "id": "house-ways-and-means-committee", "name": "House Ways and Means Committee", "url": "https://whatledto.com/who/house-ways-and-means-committee", "json": "https://whatledto.com/who/house-ways-and-means-committee.json", "shared_timelines": 1 }, { "id": "robert-f-kennedy-jr", "name": "Robert F. 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